Family Problems
by Natala
Summary: IYYYH When Kagome is given a project by her mischievous adopted now-adult kitsune, she is then taken on a trip to the Dark Tournament where Shippo sets off a number of chaotic events simply by reintroducing her to her redheaded cousin.
1. Prologue

Title: Family Problems  
Chapter: 0  
  
Explanation: A main question someone might have upon looking at this is: Why? The simple answer: There are lots of fics that have the characters in a certain situation. For example, there are many that start off with Kagome being related to one of the YYH gang. Usually Yusuke. I obviously wasn't going to use Yusuke, but I did decide to use the cousin concept.  
  
Warning: At least two relationships in this will end very suddenly and two more start just as suddenly. In fact, lots of things happen very suddenly and there are probably lots of plotholes in this. Bah.   
  
Canon warnings: Umm....Yes. Let's see, one of the YYH gang gets a cousin, and things start happening differently during the Dark Tournament. For Inuyasha, the basic facts that there was a quest, there was Naraku, and such as that. I made up my own ending for it.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha.  
  
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Prologue  
  
The blue-eyed teen watched with interest the fights going on below. There was also some worry in her soul as she saw her redhead cousins damaged form, but she squashed that. It was just blood calling towards blood. She couldn't actually feel anything for someone she hadn't seen for ten years. Then again, Shippo had waited 500 years to see her again.  
  
This 'vacation' had been his idea. Or, it had turned into a vacation after he had given her a project to find out about her cousin. He had found it amusing at the time, especially when she realized her cousin was in fact Youko Kurama. Or, rather, he held the soul of Youko Kurama within him. From what she'd gathered, the others simply called him Kurama most of the time.  
  
Not that he, or any of his team mates knew she was there. His friends didn't even know he had a cousin. On his mother's side of course, but while the sisters had been close in childhood, they had grown apart, as many siblings do. The last time Kagome remembered seeing "Shuichi" was when she was turning six. He'd been an oddly smart, and an overly arrogant child of six at the time. She'd never known exactly how odd he'd been.  
  
By what she'd seen of earlier matches, he had softened up. At least, he was softer for his mother. For his opponents he was not. Kagome approved that. Family came before anything else.   
  
It was their leader that had Kagome fascinated, besides her own cousin. She admitted she had a case of a school girl crush from the first smirk when he'd lept up to face Chu. That didn't keep her from observing how he fought. Of course, her observations usually turned into admiring looks. He had a girlfriend, or that's what she thought that girl was. He didn't even know the girl was there yet. Still, a girlfriend was no reason why you couldn't look. It just mean you couldn't touch.  
  
She enjoyed his fights against the wind master, but that was more because both had a strong fighting spirit, and they had fun fighting. Neither of them were killers, but they could if they had to. Mostly, they both liked to fight. She found herself grinning, remembering others who had liked to do the same. She quickly cut herself off from that line of thought and waited for Shippo to come back.  
  
He only came in for the tail end of the fight, watching the last team mate swoon over an ice apparition. The kitsune beside her chuckled. "She's pretty, but shouldn't he be paying more attention to the fight? "  
  
"Probably," she answered with a quick smile, and before they knew it, the fight fight was over.  
  
"Come on, time to introduce yourself to your cousin." Kagome looked alarmed at the prospect, then horrified as Shippo dragged her off.  
  
"Shippo, no! Give me a few hours at least. And them, they're all injured you know." Kagome grinned as that worked, and she pranced of to their rooms to attempt to find a way to put this off even longer. She'd put off meeting him again for all of the fights so far.  
  
She never expected for them to show up at her door five hours later, a frown on Kurama's face as he stared at her. It didn't help that she could feel the fire apparition attempting to get into her mind. He hissed suddenly and glared at her as automatically her defenses went up.  
  
At the suddenly hostile faces she sighed and opened the door. "Right. Come on in. Just stay out of my mind please."  
  
She turned her back and sat in a chair, watching as they all stood, facing her, everyone except Kurama regarding her with suspicion. He was regarding her with realization and horror. "We sensed a miko. You."  
  
She nodded slightly at the fire apparition, and smothered a grin as Kurama went pale. "Poor Shuichi. That your cousin's a miko can't be good for your health."  
  
There was a pause as everyone gaped at Kurama. He gaped at her. "Kagome? Kagome Higurashi? The little girl who used to play in trees?"  
  
"Really? That explains why you're always climbing out your window with the one beside your house. Practice makes perfect I guess," Shippo said as he walked in, boredly staring at the spirit detectives before rummaging through the bags they'd brought. "Where's the ramen Mama?"  
  
"Mama?" Three incredulous voices broke in. Shippo paused, winced, then sighed. "Oops. Sorry, I always forget when we're around people. How's your cousin taking it?"  
  
"The ramen's over there. He looks kind of pale. Hey, Shuichi, snap out of it. It's not like I'm going to eat you. Or I suppose purify would be better in this case." Kagome sighed as all four of them tensed. This wasn't going well. And the cute one's aura was flaring up. As was the fire apparitions. They just saw threats everywhere.  
  
"Males. They always take things the wrong way," Kagome muttered. Shippo stood with ramen cups in hand and quirked an eyebrow at her. "You don't count to me Shippo."  
  
Shippo's eyes narrowed and she grinned at him. He shook his head and went to make the ramen. She turned back to the standing boys. She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Can you four sit? It would be more comfortable for us all."  
  
Kurama sank down onto the couch and stared blankly at her. "My cousin's a miko."  
  
Kagome eyed the wounds that had been inflicted upon him earlier and felt compassion run through her. She got up and crouched in front of him, peering into his shocked eyes. "Um, you _are _going to be all right, aren't you?"  
  
"Physically he'll be fine, but I think finding out his cousin is something meant to exterminate him might allow him a little room to be shocked," Yusuke said dryly, on edge as the miko girl stayed so close to his friend.  
  
"Yeah, well how do you think I felt when I ws told I was the reincarnation of a this perfect miko woman who could do no wrong? Yeah, that was fun! Damn jewel," Kagome said with a rather demon-like growl. Shippo sighed and shook his head. She ws so over emotional about that. Then again, even today, he'd probably attempt to rip Inuyasha to shreds for what he'd done to her.  
  
"Reincarnation?" Kurama asked curiously, allowing himself to be drawn out of his shell by curiosity. And the hurt in her voice, that as well. Kitsunes were protective of their families, even if they hadn't seen them in awhile. Someone had hurt her emotionally.  
  
Kagome eyed him then gently placed a hand on each shoulder, her hands glowing pink. With curses all three of Kurama's friends jumped for her, and she found herself against the wall with a sword at her neck. Kurama quickly got up. "Hiei, stop, she wasn't trying to purify me!"  
  
Hiei let her drop, not seeing her glowing hand drop back to the floor. He did see when one of the ramen cups exploded. Shippo scowled and gazed with irritation at Kagome. "Mama! Couldn't you have found some other way to vent your powers?"  
  
There were wide-eyed looks at that as Kagome stood against the wall, eyes still closed and the glow on her hands slowly wearing off. Kurama watched her and felt a pang of sympathy. "You are untrained?"  
  
"Mostly. I've trained myself a bit, and had some help, but Kaede doesn't exactly live in this time period to help me." At the blank expressions she waved them off and shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"She was healing me Hiei," Kurama stated as Kagome said nothing more about her strange statement. Kuwabara puffed up. "I bet Yukina could do a better job."  
  
"Everybody else does, I don't see why she couldn't," Kagome said sharply. The self-pity and hurt was clear in her voice, and Shippo looked up sharply. "No moping! No depression, no random burst of miko energy as you curse him or her, be happy! That's what this vacation is for!"  
  
"Only you would think to bring me to a demon tournament for vacation, Shippo." Shippo grinned at her statement, and the cute one cleared his throat.   
  
"Why'd he call you Mama?" he asked. For an instant, Kagome attempted to remember his name, then shrugged it off and attempted ot answer. "Because I adopted him when he was a kit."  
  
There were a few stares and Kagome frowned. Obviously they knew that wasn't possible by normal means. Kurama offered the one explanation that would make her furious. "You said you were the reincarnation of someone, did they perhaps adopt him, you mean?"  
  
Shippo immediately jumped to the other side of the room as Kagome's aura flared up and her whole body was incased in pink. "No! Me, not her! Never her! Shippo won't even go near Kikyou! I don't have her memories, all I have is similar powers and her soul! He is my kit, not hers!"  
  
To say the spirit detectives were stunned would be an understatement. Kurama glared at his brown-eyed friend. "This is your fault, Yusuke."  
  
No one noticed that Kagome suddenly stopped glowing at the name. Now she remembered, it was Yusuke! Her cousin was already proving useful. Yusuke glared at Kurama. "My fault? I'm not the one who asked her the question that made her blow up!"  
  
"Time travel. There was a well that took me back 500 years to when he was a kit. Now it's closed so he had to find me as an adult," Kagome explained suddenly. Four stares were now directed at her and Hiei snorted. "Your cousin is insane, fox."  
  
"She would have to be. There's no such thing as time travel," Yusuke scoffed. Kagome shrugged. She didn't care if they believed her. She and Shippo knew the truth.  
  
"Sure. I'm crazy, insane. Now, what exactly are you all doing in our room?" Kagome raised an eyebrow as the boys exchanged glances.  
  
"Mikos aren't exactly know to be peaceful around demons. We were wondering what kind of insanity the miko had to place herself in the middle of thousands of demons. Obviously now we know. You really should go home, cousin." Kurama's looked uneasy with the thought of her being there. Kagome eyed him, studying her redheaded cousin. She smiled slightly. He was much nicer now than he had been as a child.  
  
Her face did fall with the last words, and she turned around, idly taking one of the ramen cups and beginning to eat while facing away from them. Shippo's head jerked up when he smelled the salty tears. She whispered to herself, but Shippo and Kurama heard her. "My true home is gone."  
  
Shippo's golden tail swished behind him in aggravation. Damn these spirit detectives. She'd wanted her to meet her cousin, and only him. He had been a bit worried when he found out it was Youko Kurama in there, but he figured he might give the silver kitsune a chance.  
  
At the lack of answers they heard, Kuwabara spoke up. "I don't know how your family would allow a girl like you to come here anyway, by yourself. Well, with the kitsune, but how much protection is he?"   
  
Shippo and Kagome exchanged glances and then they both burst into gales of laughter. When Kagome calmed down, the tears in her eyes were no longer from heartbreak. Then a glint appeared in her eyes. "More than you think apparently. He's strong, he just doesn't throw it about, so no one knows."  
  
Kagome saw Shippo's face change into one of slight horror. She stifled a grin. he glared at her. She was deliberately baiting them. He tilted his head. Did she want to get into a fight? Strong they may be, but there were four to their two. Did she want to die?  
  
Shippo's head jerked back as Kagome forced her gaze away at the last question she'd read in his body language. His eyes narrowed and his chest rumbled into a full out angry growl. All four stared at the pair as the both turned their gazes out the window. Shippo snarled. "Damn him. This is his fault your like this."  
  
Yusuke glanced at Kurama questioningly. Kurama shook his head, he didn't think it was them they were talking about. Kagome sighed and shook her head. "He chose the path that he thought would make everyone happy, including himself. I would go back to my time anyway, right? He did what he thought was best."  
  
"Without consulting any of us! Damn it, at least he could have sent me with you! For that matter, you almost lost the jewel, and who knows where the world would be now if you hadn't managed to grab it when he held it out. I grew up without the girl I had learned to call Mama! That bastard didn't care a whit about anyone's happiness but his own!" Shippo's eyes had a tint of red in them and with a sudden rush one hand flew into the wall, blue fire running up it. Kurama gasped as he realized who this kitsune was.  
  
"You! You're the one who grew up with the strange taiyoukai, Sesshoumaru. You claimed to have a human mother from the future. Everyone just thought Sesshoumaru was getting soft, taking in a human and an insane kitsune child." Kurama's breath was a bit quick. This was a bit much to take in. He needed time to take this all in.  
  
His cousin was a miko. She apparently traveled back and forth through time, or she had. There was, by all sounds of it, a boy who had hurt her. Wait, stop, rewind. Someone had _hurt **his **_****cousin? _His? _Never mind that he hadn't seen her in almost 10 years. She was still his family. No one hurt his family. That, too, now included the older kitsune, because he was apparently her adopted son. His family too.  
  
"Who hurt you?" Was now the only question Kurama asked after Shippo had confirmed his statement. Kagome blinked rapidly for a few moments. It was confusing to keep up with Kurama's changes. Shippo nudged her and she understood. Kitsune protectiveness. Or, rather, demon protectiveness of anything they saw as "theirs".  
  
"Who says someone did?" Kagome asked, knowing immediately that was the wrong thing to say as Yusuke snorted.  
  
"The whole heartbroken look and his outburst might have been the first clue," Yusuke suggested scathingly. Kagome scowled at him, but inside her little crush was happily going forth onto new lengths. He was blunt, sarcastic, and not treating her like gentle glass. She sort of liked it. She tried to scold herself for liking a boy who not only probably would never be interested, but had a girlfriend. It didn't stop a part of her mind from swooning. Her scowl deepened.  
  
Shippo snickered, seeing the internal struggle in her eyes. It was nice of her to get a crush, even is she didn't think so. "You know, you show absolutely everything going on in your head through your eyes. It's sort of funny."  
  
He was smirking at her. Kagome glared at him. What was it with arrogant males and that particular smirk? Though, this one was more playful, and didn't send the absolute thrills through her than Inuyasha's sometimes had. His smiles had done more than the smirks though. She herd Shippo growl warningly and blinked, realizing there were tears gathering in her eyes. She immediately got angry at herself.  
  
Fortunately, she was saved from having to face the four boys by four girls appearing at the door. A blue-haired girl poked her head through. "So this is where you boys are, we've been looking...for...you?"  
  
The instant Kagome had turned her head, she knew it was a mistake. She cursed herself inwardly. The girl was a spirit guide, and her face was very white right now. Kagome sighed and pulled the shielded jewel out from underneath her shirt. "Don't worry, I'm its Guardian."  
  
"What are you doing here in the middle of thousands of demons? A miko alone would be in trouble, but the Guardian of the jewel? Are you insane?" The other three girls looked on wide-eyed as Botan walked over to the other girl and stared with the most frightened look on her face at the jewel.  
  
"I sometimes wonder," Was all Kagome said as the other three girls walked into the room.  
  
"Gee, why don't you just come in and make yourselves at home," Kagome muttered as they sat at different places around the room. The ice apparition was staring at her, and took a place next to Botan. Hesitantly, she raised one hand and laid it on the mikos cheek. They both jerked back and the ice apparition peered at her with sorrow filled eyes.  
  
"So much pain. How can you stand it?" she asked quietly. The boys and remaining girls watched in fascination as Kagome shook slightly as she stared into the innocent eyes of Hiei's sister.  
  
"Because I have no other choice. My name is Kagome Higurashi." She extended her hand towards the ice apparition. The other girl took it warmly. "I am Yukina."  
  
Yukina smiled at Kagome, and Kagome found herself smiling back at the red-eyed girl. Botan cleared her throat and both girls looked at her questioningly, the walls Kagome had put up down more, and instead of a neutral uncaring face, her smile was warm and friendly. Botan hid her startlement at the change in the girl at just one friendly gesture. "Um, Why are you here?"  
  
"Vacation," Shippo quickly answered when Kagome's face clouded over. Yukina peered into the miko's eyes and her smile turned down.   
  
"Do you need to talk about it?" Yukina asked gently. Kagome looked stunned. This girl was trying to help after just meeting her. Who did that sort of thing? Well, she had once, but that was then. Kagome's warm smile returned, and she shook her head at her new friend. "Maybe eventually. But not yet ok. It's enough that I could if I wanted to."  
  
Yukina instantly brightened up and was one again smiling warmly. "All right. What are the boys doing here in your room?"  
  
Botan looked over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes as the boys stared back. "A good question. Bothering people who haven't done anything to you again?"  
  
Kurama cleared his throat and smiled politely at Botan. "That's not it Botan. We were simply wondering what a miko was doing here. And then I found out that it was not any ordinary miko, but my cousin who I didn't even realize was one. We were, after that, simply getting acquainted with my family."  
  
"Oh! You're Kurama's cousin? How rude of me. I'm Botan, I'm a-"  
  
"Spirit Guide. Of course you are, how else would you be able to sense it through the shields?" Kagome, despite her seemingly harsh words, was smiling. Shippo was smiling happily as he saw his mother finally begin to be a bit like her old self.   
  
"I knew this would be a good trip," Shippo remarked smugly, a bit too loudly.  
  
Surprisingly, a sweet sound entered the air at the statement, soon joined by another. Yukina and Kagome were both giggling. Botan soon joined in at the smug look on Shippo's face.  
  
"How he can call a bunch of people I just met, many of them demons, knowing that I'm a miko good, I'll never know," Kagome said through their laughter. Yukina smiled warmly.  
  
"When new friends are in the deal, isn't it always good?" Kagome's smile brightened and her giggles stopped as she glanced at both of the girls who she had said only a handful of words to, but already felt that they were her friends. She aimed another warm smile towards them both. "It is good. He has the right to be proud."  
  
"I think I'm missing something. Wasn't she miss snarky and drowning in self-pity minutes ago? Is your cousin weird or what, Kurama?" Yusuke asked, all the while staring at the girl. Kurama turned his head and narrowed his eyes when he saw his friend's eyes moving up and down his cousin's body.  
  
"Weird perhaps, but she also isn't food," Kurama stated. Keiko turned her head, tuning the other girls out as she focused on Yusuke and Kurama.  
  
"C'mon Kurama, I was just enjoying the view! It's not like I'd do anything with her." Yusuke stated, his eyes still on the miko girl as she chatted with her new friends. Shippo was pretending to be listening to the girls conversation while intently listening to Yusuke and Kurama.  
  
"True. I have nothing to fear for my cousin with someone already taken and whipped." Kurama briefly wondered at his own stupidity when Yusuke's eyes flared with challenge. He couldn't see any reason why he was baiting the detective. While, actually, he could, but it wouldn't do to even think that was why he was doing this. Not that Yusuke would be bad with his cousin, she just couldn't deal with more heartache, and he wouldn't wish to impose that on Keiko either, even if he wished he could be the one to comfort her because of such a thing.  
  
"Whipped huh?" Yusuke's eyes were narrowed, but his gaze was off of his slightly younger cousin. Which, both made Kurama relieved and nervous. His anxiety intensified when Kagome's head turned slightly to look at Yusuke, her expressive blue orbs filling with what could only be called a crush. She knew it, and she fought it. It wasn't helping.  
  
Kurama's head was still spinning as he glanced back at his friend, and found him studying Kagome with an intent look as she talked to Yukina and Botan. Keiko was now joining the conversation, not liking the one that had been going on with Kurama and Yusuke. Shizuru was lounging on the couch beside the girls. Shippo shifted quietly, annoyed at this turn of events.   
  
He turned to see the four spirit detectives in conversation. They kept glancing at the girls, then glancing back. They seemed to come to a decision and turned to face the girls. "We have places to be. Since you girls seems so comfortable, why don't you just talk for a bit or something. We're going."  
  
Kurama scowled at Yusuke's blunt tactics and smiled towards his cousin. And maybe a bit towards Keiko. "We will talk later, cousin. You seem to have led almost as interesting life as I."  
  
Then they left and Kagome raised an eyebrow. "I change my opinion. His arrogance hasn't changed. 'Almost' he says. Almost my ass."  
  
The other four girls and Shippo raised an eyebrow and she blushed, sending Botan into giggles. Kagome continued hotly, "My life is much more interesting! Time travel is much better!"  
  
Now they were staring at her and Kagome winced then, looking into he confused, but accepting looks of her new friends, she smiled. "You want a story?"  
  
It was Keiko who inched forward and smiled at the girl, putting all matters having to do with boys out of her mind. "I'd love one. I always did like the idea of time travel."  
  
And so Kagome told them about it. She spoke in clipped, calm tones the first day, a brief summary. The next day, despite the fighting, they met again, talked for a little while, even began laughing and telling jokes. And then the girls asked for more. Details, things about Inuyasha, why she had completely closed off when telling the story.  
  
She gave it to them. Keiko was absent for most of it later, and sometimes she went to their room instead of them going to hers, but eventually they got the whole story right before the final match. When Botan was already mourning and the girls were all on edge, Kagome told them everything about the last battle, and what had happened. Finally, Shippo heard her cry. Not angry, brief tears, but a heartfelt sobbing that he thought would tear his mother's body apart. He was glad they had kicked him out for there girl chats, he would have been panicking by then.  
  
When the tournament ended, the girls were all parting with sad goodbyes, knowing this had only been a short friendship. They had there own dangerous lives, or lack thereof, and as much as Shizuru and Keiko liked Kagome, they had enough problems trying to deal with the boys. Botan and Yukina hesitated, and then looked at Kagome after the other two left.  
  
"We have an invitation for you," Yukina said quietly. Kagome's head tilted in confusion. Botan was scanning the crowds and Kagome smiled, realizing what they were looking for. "Shippo will meet me in a few minutes."  
  
"Good. We wanted this to be a girl thing. An invitation, Yukina says. An address, I say. A place to spend time with us, and get away from any problems your having. We talked it over with Genkai and she says she doesn't mind as long as we keep out of her way and don't monopolize Yukina." Botan looked up hopefully, and Kagome realized with a start Botan wasn't just doing this for her, or Yukina, but because, despite her being a miko, despite her being the Guardian, she honestly liked her. She was like a true friend. Kagome held out her hand.  
  
"Let's see that address. I think I'm definitely going to need it." The girls handed it to her, and she quickly stuffed it in her pocket when she was her two kitsune relatives approaching. She understood this was something between just them. So they left with quiet smiles, promises in their eyes what they'd see each other soon.  
  
"Nice girls, I was glad to see you make some friends while we were here," Shippo said as they approached. Then Kurama slipped a piece of paper into her hand.  
  
"So we don't lose track of each other this time, Kagome. You're rather easy to get attached to. Have your mother call too. I'm sure Mother would love hearing from her," Kurama said with a soft smile, still not close to her, but he was willing to bet that he would be soon if they continued talking and spending time with each other. He really didn't mind. It would be nice to have a friend outside of the group, and who better than his miko cousin?  
  
Kagome smile ruefully, and slipped his paper into the same pocket as the address, while taking out a slip of paper from her other pocket. "Apparently we already think alike Shuichi. I wrote mine down too."  
  
Kurama's eyes danced with laughter. "Good. That means when you don't call because your back into that grand depression Shippo keep talking to me about, I can call you up and get you out of it."  
  
Kagome winced, then made a mocking shocked look. "Me? Depressed? Shippo, how could you say something like that."  
  
"It might have to do with the crying fest you girls had before the final match," Yusuke said coolly as he walked up with the other three team members.   
  
Kagome eyes narrowed. "I see now why the girls left before you. Traitors. Keiko, right?"  
  
"Surprisingly, it was Yukina. She seemed worried for your health. Botan and Keiko tried to shush her. She seems to understand now that you don't say those things," Yusuke said.  
  
Kagome winced as her accusation was proved wrong. It would figure, she was wrong about a lot of things. Kagome's eyes narrowed and she pulled herself out of those thoughts with a bright and entirely fake smile. "Well, anyways, congratulations on your wins. Bye!"  
  
Kagome swiftly tried to retreat. Tried because Shippo rolled his eyes and spun her back around to face them. Kurama smiled in thanks and held up a hand for his cousin to be quiet. He did the same to Yusuke with an annoyed glance when the Spirit Detective opened his mouth. "Thank you, Kagome. I _will _see you later."  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes at Kurama's forceful tone, then sighed when Kurama scowled. He almost never scowled. She sighed and hesitated after taking a step towards him. Then she shook herself off and practically jumped into her cousins arms. "You will. I promise. Stay healthy and and don't die."  
  
Kurama blinked at the sudden embrace but moved his arms around her in a friendly embrace. "You too cousin. If I get a call saying you've died I'll make sure Botan's the one who gets to escort your soul. She'd be very angry."  
  
"Understatement of the year, Kurama." At his quizzical look she smiled. "I figure I'd better get used to using both. Shuichi around family and in public. Kurama around the other family."  
  
Kurama's eyes flickered, but he didn't disagree with her "other family" statement. They were, and she was a part of both. They stepped back and Kagome gave an honest smile. "Bye Kurama."  
  
Then she, followed by her adult kitsune son, left the hotel. Soon after they left the island, but Kagome's heart was much lighter than when she had come. Shippo's idea had been a good one.   
  
She fingered the slips of paper in her pocket. A very good idea it had been, and he wouldn't let her forget it. She didn't want him to either. She certainly wouldn't.


	2. Chapter 1

Title: Family Problems  
Chapter: 1  
  
**Questions: **This is the section where I answer questions people asked, or address subjects they may have commented on.**  
  
Will there be more?  
**Err...There was a reason that the last chapter said "prologue"  
  
**Why Kurama and not Kuwabara?  
**For the sake of the story in my head. If I ever decide to do another cousin story, I will have Kuwabara be her cousin.  
  
**Will one of the Spirit Detectives look for Inuyasha?  
**They don't know who he is. At least, they don't know who he is in relation to Kagome yet. But, they do have a hand in him coming to Kagome.  
  
Warning: If you don't like the customary pairings of the shows breaking up, don't read this chapter. Or, basically, the story.  
  
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Chapter 1 - Girl Time  
  
At first glance, the small gathering looked like a normal teenage girl gathering. At second glance, there might be some odd looks at the blue and green haired girls. It wasn't until you looked at their faces that you might have seen something wrong. Or listened to how they snickered at the monster movie. "Puh-lease! Like a few flames would take down a monster made of water! A lot maybe, but just one flame? It wouldn't happen! Do you see a lake evaporating because someone starts a fire nearby? No!"  
  
Botan and Yukina giggles at their friends' enthusiasm. "It is a bit amusing. Ice actually would do better. Freeze it, ya know?" Botan commented. Kagome grinned and nodded towards Yukina.  
  
"So, you'd be perfect to take down something like that. Like any of the weapons they're using would work. For crying out loud! A silver bullet is a werewolf thing! I-" Kagome found herself muffled as Botan and Yukina pounced on her, trying to muffle their giggles so as not to disturb Genkai.   
  
"Kagome, it is a good thing there are no other people around here, otherwise everyone would know about your views on these movies. Besides, these people don't know anything about the reality of monsters and demons. Calm down," Botan said with a grin. Kagome rolled her eyes and flopped down between the two girls again. Yukina's innocent crimson eyes focused on her.  
  
"If you do not like them, why did you pick one?" She asked curiously.  
  
"I used to think they were scary. I haven't watched one since before I went through the well. I wanted to know my response now. Now they seem annoying. And amusing." Kagome grinned at Yukina, who smiled back, then tilted her head to look at some of the other movies the girl had brought over.   
  
"Can we watch another one then? This one is an unflattering view of how human society perceives demons." Both girls were about to speak up and say that it was just a movie, then both shrugged. Most monster movies could eventually be traced back to a myth based on demons at some point or another, if not directly, through a long line of other movies.  
  
"Sure, why don't you look through them and pick one you want to watch Yukina? After that if we have time, Botan can pick one. We can rotate like that," Kagome said while looking at Botan for her opinion. The spirit guide nodded and peered over Kagome to watch Yukina pick out a movie.  
  
"What's this one?" Yukina asked.  
  
"That one's drama, romance, with enough action mixed in so it isn't all about the characters love lives," Kagome stated, schooling her face to look neutral. She didn't want to sway her friend either way. Yukina decided on that movie and they went along to watch it, and then Botan's movie, which was all about romance and drama, almost no action at all. In the end they were crying at that one.  
  
"If she'd just left with him," Kagome sniffled out.  
  
"She couldn't! She loved her home to much!" Botan said with her own sniffle.   
  
"That was beautiful. Can we watch more like those?" Yukina asked wistfully. "These are the first movies I've seen, and I liked that one more than the other two."  
  
Botan and Kagome exchanged a grin, tears forgotten. This was one thing they could agree to. All for the good of their friend of course.  
  
"Sure!" Botan said brightly, then noticed Kagome grimacing at her watch. "Time for you to go?"  
  
"Yeah, but we can watch more later. Maybe tomorrow. Shippo's usually out all day, mother knows I'm having fun, and Souta has his own life. Grandpa deals with the shrine, so he doesn't have time to deal with my 'teenage rebellion'. Which means he won't keep bugging me about where I am. I wouldn't be surprised if Shippo at least knows I'm with you two. He has a good nose after all." Kagome gathered up her things, leaving a couple of the movies that were like the one Yukina had expressed interest in.  
  
"You can watch those and when I come over next tell me if you really want to watch more. I'll bring a lot just in case." Then the teenager was out the door and down the street, her two friends waving goodbye as Genkai came out and looked after her with a sigh.   
  
"She still has a destiny to face girls. If you keep being her friends, you will be involved with it also," Genkai said gravely.  
  
"We know. I'm willing to risk it. Kagome's my friend, and if trouble hits her, I'll stand by her side," Botan declared proudly. And loudly. Yukina simply smiled in agreement and said, "Me too."  
  
"Good. She will need all the support she can get," Genkai said firmly. The two girls looked at her, alarm apparent in their eyes.  
  
"Master Genkai, what do you know?" Yukina asked softly.  
  
"I know nothing. I have hunches, and I suspect much. The Makai is stirring, and she cannot hope to keep out of it, not with what and who she is." The two girls exchanged glances and Botan squared her shoulders.  
  
"Then I'll have to get information about that, won't I?" Botan grinned at Yukina's startled look. Genkai's gaze was faintly approving before she began to leave.  
  
"The boys will probably be here soon to discuss a new mission. It is a good and neutral meeting place. Be sure to clean up any sign of Kagome, and attempt to cover her scent. Kurama will be curious if you don't, and you wouldn't want to ruin your 'girl time'." With that last warning, Genkai went back inside to do her usual things.  
  
The two girls exchanged glances and then Botan went crazy, frantically hiding everything, trying to think of a way to hide Kagome's scent. If Kurama knew she was here all the time, he, and then the other boys, would invite themselves along. This was time for just the three of them. Finally Yukina came in with a solution. She left a bottle of nail polish remover on a cabinet near the door to the room they'd been in, opened it, and both the girls left, hoping that Kagome hadn't left her scent everywhere else. Yukina was glad to help even if she didn't quite understand the logic behind it.  
  
"Hey, Botan, what are you doing here? Koenma said he couldn't get hold of you." Yusuke looked at her suspiciously when she and Yukina exchanged a glance and he was sure they both quickly look at Kurama before focusing on him.  
  
"Botan was helping me with something," Yukina said in her soft voice. Technically it was true. With her new friends about, Yukina was learning that a simple explanation was best. She didn't need to say that anybody else had been helping her, or what it was they were helping her with.  
  
"Oh. Right. Still, why couldn't Koenma get hold of you?" Yusuke asked suspiciously. Botan looked guilty. She hadn't meant to turn her communicator off, it had just happened. She didn't think they'd buy that.  
  
"Oh, lay off her Yusuke. Isn't there a mission you're supposed to be telling everyone about?" Keiko said as she pushed her way past the four males in the doorway to stand by Yukina and Botan.  
  
"Yeah, but I don't see what that has to do with you, Keiko," Yusuke grumbled under his breath. At her glare the boy sighed and began to talk, telling them of the new mission. At the end he remembered to add something.  
  
"Oh yeah, Koenma also said we're going to escort these strange old people to the shrine later," Yusuke said as he and the boys walked away to go on their mission.  
  
"Oh? Who are they?" Keiko asked curiously.  
  
"I don't know. One's a hanyou named Inuyasha I think. Odd name. They're over 500 years old. Koenma didn't give any reason either, just said escort them here after the mission." Yusuke didn't notice Botan and Yukina suck in a breath and exchange worried glances as Botan left to follow the boys.  
  
He did notice Keiko's frown however. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Wrong? Nothing, the name just sounds so familiar. I can't imagine where I'd have heard it before though," Keiko frowned, searching her memory and Botan bit her lip, glancing at Kurama, trying to think up an answer. Kurama was protective of his cousin, even if they had just met for the first time in almost ten years a couple of months ago. Surprisingly, it was Kurama who offered a solution.  
  
"There are many legends around the name Inuyasha. Whether this is he or now, I don't know, but the stories have leaked out to the human population as myths. Perhaps you heard one of these once," Kurama suggested. Keiko fixed him with a brilliant smile and a happy nod.  
  
"Thanks Kurama! I'm sure that's what it is!" Their eyes held a bit longer than necessary and Keiko almost wanted to stand still and be lost in them for a moment, but they forced their gazes away, wondering what had come over them. Keiko wondered anyway, Kurama just grimaced at his hopeless situation while Yusuke convinced himself he was just being overly jealous and seeing things that weren't there. Like he had any reason to get mad at them for an imagine look when he still thought about Kurama's cousin in a way that would have them both throwing fits.  
  
The other two boys didn't seem to notice, but Botan had been paying particular attention, and she had to wonder what was happening between them. They were both too loyal to Yusuke to do anything about it, but she could have sworn that had been a spark of attraction for each other. While Keiko wasn't Yusuke's official girlfriend, everyone knew there was something there.   
  
They had been friends forever. Briefly Botan wondered if perhaps that's all it was, and they fooled each other and themselves into thinking it was more because they wanted something stable. They seemed too right for that however. It was just...the look in Kurama's eyes when he had looked at Keiko made her doubt what she had always accepted about her friends.  
  
At another shrine, a very happy barely sixteen-year-old girl was humming as she walked into her house. She was met with the inquisitive eyebrow of Shippo. "And you have been where exactly?"  
  
Kagome squirmed under his gaze then stopped herself. She met his eyes firmly, with all of her self-respect gathered into her eyes. "Hanging out with some friends. Problem?"  
  
Shippo seemed surprised, but then he took a sniff of the air and grinned knowingly. "These wouldn't happen to be two certain girls, one demon, one a spirit guide, would they?"  
  
Kagome scoffed haughtily. "I have no idea where you hear these things Shippo." Then she grinned. "Yeah, we're having some girl time. I thought you would have known already, what with your sense of smell and everything."  
  
"I guessed Mama, but I wasn't quite sure. It's good though, for you to be having friends. Even if they do have lives as weird as you do," Shippo teased lightly.  
  
"I'm going back tomorrow too. Don't come with me. If you have to watch me when I go, do it from afar, so I can't sense you. I want to at least feel like this is just a thing between my two friends and me. " Kagome said firmly. Shippo snickered at her but quickly got serious when her eyes blazed. This was important to her, and he would treat it as so.  
  
"All right, Mama. I'll only check up on you once in awhile, now that I know where you are. Even then I promise to stay as far as possible away from where you are but where I can still make sure you're safe. It's the best I can do; I won't just leave you unprotected all the time. Not with _that_," he indicated the jewel around her neck, "still around."  
  
Kagome sighed and fingered the jewel, feeling its smooth surface beneath her hand. "I wish...no, never mind, I don't. I treasure those memories, even the pain that comes along with them. And I'll never wish they didn't happen. That was a wonderful year. Well, almost a year. I don't see how so much could happen and it not even be a year. It seems unreal."  
  
"It does," Shippo said softly. The two stood there for some time, considering what she'd said. Kagome suddenly couldn't wait until tomorrow, when she would get out of this depressing mood once again.   
  
The next day, when Kagome went to Genkai's home, the girls seemed nervous about something. Still, she didn't pay much attention to it and they watched movies for hours. Soon Botan seemed to become relaxed, and Yukina had long ago become entranced by the people in the screen with their dramatic lives. A lot of them ended with tragedy, and the girls were using up tissues at an amazing rate.  
  
It was only when they realized they would soon run out of tissues that they ended their tear-filled marathon and retired to an outer room to eat. They were laughing and just finishing up their sandwiches when Botan and Kagome stiffened. Kagome's eyes were wide and puzzled. The boys were coming with Keiko, but there was something else, two new auras that seemed so familiar. "I guess I'd better go," Kagome whispered.  
  
Outside, Kurama suddenly jerked his head up as Botan opened the door and quickly closed it, smiling weakly as she walked towards the boys. His emerald gaze focused on Botan with sudden intensity. "Kagome's here. I can smell her. Why is she here Botan? She's not a spirit detective."  
  
Botan bit her lip and frantically tried to think of an explanation. Before she could, her mouth moved on its own accord. "You must be smelling things Kurama. Why would she be here?"  
  
Kurama growled and all four boys and Keiko, with their now suddenly interested guests hanging about by the trees walked towards the entrance. Botan hoped Kagome was out of there by now, and Yukina had done something about the smell. Kurama was too over protective of her to just let her come here with only them for protection. He would insist that at least he, and sometimes the other boys, join them.  
  
When, they opened the door, no one was there, and Kurama gagged at the smell of nail polish remover. It didn't fool him, but he couldn't prove anything. Unfortunately, the harsh and furious scream from Kagome gave it away. Botan looked around frantically and noticed Yusuke hadn't followed them to the door. He must have seen her through a window and jumped over. Botan ground her teeth but forced a cheery smile on and followed the boys to the other side of the building, where on the other side an interesting scene greeted them.  
  
Kagome was struggling her hardest, but Yusuke was holding her flush against him, her back to his front. She wasn't sure why she didn't just stand still and yell like she usually did, but she had a feeling that it had to do with that she was panicking. The last time someone had held her this way, good things had not followed. She attempted to calm herself down as the others came out a back door. It worked slightly, as she did manage to calm herself down to only pulling against his arms a few seconds after they arrive instead of the thrashing they had arrived to, but she knew her eyes were a bit wild still. She wouldn't doubt she was glowing.  
  
"Yusuke, maybe you should let her go. She doesn't look so good," Keiko suggested softly, wondering what was wrong with the girl who had seemed so nice at the Dark Tournament. Yukina cleared her throat when Yusuke just glared at them and asked in a much firmer voice that sounded more like a command than a question, "She does not appear to be in the best stage of mind, won't you please let her go?"  
  
Only the please made it a question, and when Yusuke still seemed unlikely to let her go, Botan reached out and whacked him on the head with her oar, forcing him to raise one arm to block it. That was all that Kagome needed and she suddenly twisted out of his grasp, going to stand against the wall of the shrine, shaking slightly as she closed her eyes and attempted to get a hold of herself.  
  
What was wrong with her? It wasn't the first time someone had grabbed her, even if only Shippo had dared to do something like that lately. And only once, when he'd been worried about her. She hadn't responded like that, and she wasn't sure why. As her head cleared, she was getting a solution to that problem. She hadn't seen anyone else who had grabbed her quite like that. They were all family, or close to it. Yusuke was a male, little more than a stranger, and she found herself attracted to him. She understood her response now. But that meant she wasn't dealing with everything that had happened, especially the stuff with Naraku, well at all.  
  
"Why do I have a feeling that last scene where she sort of glossed over things with what happened with Naraku in her story had a few more details?" Botan grumbled unhappily to Yukina as the miko whispered the evil hanyou's name with fear and disgust.  
  
"What do you mean Botan?" Yukina asked curiously. Botan gave the ice apparition a weak smile, then went over to their friend who had finally stopped glowing. She was met by Kurama.  
  
"Somebody explain to me what just happened, why she's here, and who Naraku is," Kurama demanded.  
  
"Naraku was our opposite, I and the rest of the group. He wanted, and had most of, the Shikon no Tama. He was evil, and it took a combined version of my purifying arrows and Inuyasha's..." Kagome broke off suddenly and her eyes flew open in horror.  
  
"That's Inuyasha's energy signature," Kagome whispered. Then she was running in all out panic, forgetting that at least three, and probably all of the boys here could outrun her and catch up with her in a second. Everyone was too shocked by her reaction, and it was surprisingly Yusuke who moved to catch her. It took a bit more effort to catch the desperate miko this time. After all, she wasn't just imagining things this time, and made no effort to stop herself from panicking this time.  
  
"I forgot," Botan whispered to herself, wincing as Kagome was pinned to the ground and Yusuke turned her over to face him. Soon both of them were glaring furiously and shouting.   
  
"Get the hell off of me!" Kagome yelled, sapphire blue eyes practically on fire as she squirmed beneath him, her miko powers flashing wildly, forcing everyone else away except Kuwabara, who wasn't about to go after the crazy girl by himself.  
  
"No fucking way until you calm down! Inuyasha being here has nothing to do with you. We didn't even know you knew him until moments ago." Yusuke watched her squirm, though she was calming down slightly. Stupid girl, she was so unpredictable! He'd met her twice and she was so infuriating. At least she was calming down. Now that the sight of her squirming wasn't enjoyable, but she would have hurt herself eventually.  
  
"Right, ok, that's great. Get off me and let me go home." Kagome demanded. Yusuke stared at her a moment then smirked, his eyes taking on a much darker look. "No."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Because you'll never tell the story if you don't tell it to us now," Yusuke said, aware that Kurama could hear him and sensing the kitsune agreed with him, even if not his methods. Her energy which had been drawing back flowed out again as she let her anger reign.  
  
"Get off!" She screamed at him.  
  
"Make me," he said calmly. She instantly stilled and looked at him thoughtfully. Then her face schooled into a grin.  
  
"All right," was all she said. Then she was kissing him. He would have gaped at her if he'd been thinking. If he'd been thinking, he would have done anything except what he did. He loosened his grip, beginning to move his hands. He realized to late what she was doing as he found himself suddenly on his back and her attempting to break the kiss. In the back of his mind he heard Keiko gasping as he decided to disallow it. She knew before he did what he was going to do.  
  
One hand, which had drifted to her arm, tightened and his other hand went to the back of neck, pressing her lips firmly back onto his. Strangely, Kagome actually gave into the kiss. It wasn't until a growling Kurama pulled Kagome off of Yusuke that they seemed to wake up. Yusuke began swearing. Kagome was staring at her feet. Kurama watched them intently for a moment before going off after the sobbing Keiko who had left moments after Kurama had started moving towards them. The instant Yusuke had pulled Kagome back towards him; her miko powers had retracted though neither had noticed.  
  
Kagome was left in the middle of a group of shocked teenage boys and immortal girls as Yusuke went running after Kurama. And Keiko of course. It had all been a mistake, she knew. After all, he was a teenage boy, and that should so not have popped into her mind as a way to get away.  
  
"Did you have fun, Kagome?" Kagome's eyes widened as the hanyou she had forgotten after she had begun to kiss him appeared out from the trees. His eyes were as golden as she remembered, his hair just as silver. Kagome's heart seemed to stop in her chest, and as Inuyasha had been hopelessly drawn to the soulless Kikyou, as Kouga had been drawn to her and Sango to the seemingly hopeless Miroku, so she looked into the inu hanyou's eyes and lost all sense of self.  
  
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Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! Hopefully you'll review again!  



	3. Chapter 2

Title: Family Problems  
Chapter: 2  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha.  
  
**Questions:  
  
How often do you plan on updating?  
**Past this chapter? Not enough for all of you. I had all these chapters written before I put it out, I just spaced them out a bit. Past this, I have nothing written so far.  
  
**This is going to end in heartache, isn't it?  
**The story or the chapter? Either way, there will be lots of heartache. I'm debating on two endings of this one of them - Yes. Much heartache on all sides and unhappiness. The other one, lots of heartache but a happy ending with children who eat oden for breakfast, pocky for lunch, and ramen for dinner. Or the other way around, depending on which child it is. For that matter, there's a third possibility that the children could happen but the couples will stay apart and I'll make a sequel for them to get together in. That didn't answer the question did it?  
  
**Can Genkai teach her?  
**A bit, but more on centering herself than her actual powers. I'm working on my own theory that spirit powers and miko purifying powers are not the same.  
  
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Chapter 2 – The Past  
  
Yusuke didn't risk a glance back at the pair following him as he walked hurriedly back to the shrine. He wanted to take time out to sulk about their behavior, but he did deserve it and he with the feel of her lips still tingling on his skin and in his brain, he would have ended up day dreaming instead. He had found them perhaps a mile away, Keiko sobbing into Kurama's available chest like her heart was broken. Which, Yusuke had to admit, it might be. Though he still thought Keiko and Kurama went to each other a bit too easily. If they did, he couldn't really complain now.  
  
He hesitated at the top step of Genkai's shrine, puzzling over the feeling he was getting. His eyes narrowed as he took the last step, surveying the place. "Something's wrong," he muttered to himself. Kurama stepped up also, and the animosity about Keiko and Kagome was forgotten as the two immediately stiffened their defenses.  
  
"Kurama? Yusuke?" Keiko asked in confusion. They said nothing and she trotted along at their heels. When they rounded the corner to the back of the house, they were met with a sight to behold. The silver haired and golden eyed half demon was standing up close in front of Kagome. And his head was tilted and moving closer. When she made no move to go backwards, Yusuke's breath caught in his throat and wholly irrational anger swept through him.   
  
The hanyou's lips never touched her because of a red whirl that moved between them. When it stopped the hanyou had been thrown a few feet back, falling onto his back as he landed. He looked up with wide eyes. "Shippo?"  
  
"Inuyasha," Shippo confirmed coldly. "Leave her alone."  
  
And Kagome stood there still, catching her breath. What was she doing? First she kissed Keiko's boyfriend without thinking of the consequences, and then Inuyasha had come. He'd tried to kiss her. Kagome felt like she was drowning in emotions. The main one confusion.  
  
"What? Like hell. Five hundred years-"  
  
"And you've never tried to find out where she would be born. Never watched her grow, get hurt, never watched her come back crying out of the well because of _you._ You've hurt her enough for one life time, Inuyasha." Shippo was sneering at the fallen hanyou, but he desperately wanted to turn around and comfort Kagome. She was shaking, but not crying. She knew Inuyasha would smell it and go ballistic if she cried. Finally, Botan moved behind Shippo to see if the girl was all right.  
  
She was met with a look she'd never seen on Kagome. Even in her panicked rage she had struggled, done everything she could to get what she wanted. Now, she looked... broken. Botan's eyes widened and she quickly led the girl over to the door. She managed to get her near enough to the door that Yukina saw them coming before Kagome tugged her hand out and fell to the ground, curling her knees up to her chest. The girls flanked her as she shook like a leaf.  
  
"This can't be happening. How is he even still alive?" Kagome whispered to them desperately. Everyone was slowly gathering around.  
  
"Because I'm a hanyou, that's why! And you," Inuyasha whirled on Shippo, "You'll let her kiss him, but won't let me kiss her?"  
  
"It's not a matter of letting. If I thought anything like this would have happened today, I would have locked her in her room and had Kurama come over and guard the window while I guarded the door. Besides, she kissed him, not the other way around. And she doesn't really think right when you're around dog-breath." Shippo's claws were itching to dig into Inuyasha, to tear out the flesh of this threat to his mother, but he quelled the instinct, staring with a cold and empty expression that he had learned from the best at Inuyasha.  
  
"She's mine! I've only ever wanted two girls as mates, and I'll have them both! Damn it, how can I build a pack if you won't let me have my chosen mates?" The air seemed to still as Shippo stared at Inuyasha in horror. Was he really that cruel? Kagome felt a bit of her spirit return as those words jarred some of her anger back into her. Her eyes caught onto something around his neck and she instantly decided to test something.   
  
"Inuyasha," Kagome called softly. Both of the fighting canines focused their attention on her and Inuyasha looked into her eyes. She would have none of the soft smirks or tender smiles this time however. "Sit boy."  
  
A stunned silence came after the slam, until Inuyasha spoke again. "Damn it bitch, what was that for?"  
  
Shippo groaned as all the passion and tenderness and lust that had filled the air the past few minutes were washed away in the comfortable anger that Inuyasha and Kagome were used to stirring in each other. "Sit boy! Sit, sit, sit, and sit! What was that for? A _pack_? Me _and _her? Like hell! You left me, sent me away. You utter bastard, how dare you even think I'd consider you like that again!"  
  
"Keh, you seemed like you were going to just a minute ago." Instantly Inuyasha realized this was the wrong thing to say. For some reason, he almost felt like grinning at the way she went pale, then flushed.  
  
"Oooh! Sit, sit, sit, sit, and_ sit!_ Automatic response, Inuyasha! I missed you, that's all!" And friends who had loved and lusted seemed to wash away most of the junk covering their friendship as Inuyasha said something muffled into the dirt.  
  
"What was that?" Kagome asked, her temper calming after the sits. It made her feel remarkably better. Her emotions seemed to have gone the whole spectrum over the last couple of months, and now suddenly they were back to normal? With a kiss to and from Yusuke and a few sits for Inuyasha? She definitely had problems.  
  
"I said, "Could've fooled me," You sort of just stared at me, then sobbed, then started sitting me. Fucking hell, I don't know where your brain is, Kagome." Inuyasha glared at her, and was confused when Kagome didn't yell back, but seemed to be studying him. He realized he must look so old to her now, looking more like middle to late twenties than the same age as her.  
  
"I did miss you, Inuyasha. It hurt when you sent me away. I loved you. I promised to stay by your side and you didn't let me. It hurt," Kagome whispered softly. Shippo had backed off and was watching them, a smile tugging at his face as they stared at each other.  
  
Yeah. Me too. All of it. It hurt, and I loved, and until just a few damn moments ago, I didn't even know that I..." Inuyasha trailed off and let out a bark of hollow laughter.  
  
"That it was over. I know. When you first appeared, I didn't even have to time to tell what I felt. You were there, I was here, and your eyes were as golden and passionate as I remembered, and all I could do was stare. I didn't know what to do. It's probably what I tried to run before. I didn't want to know what I felt. I think it's good though. That we're not. We can...just be friends again. And maybe me...and Kikyou. Maybe we can talk to each other without all the tension." Kagome looked up timidly for approval, but Inuyasha was looking away too.  
  
The rest of the group was silent as the two stared at the ground. Then Kagome spoke again. "Why did you say you wanted me as your mate?"  
  
"It'd keep you away from someone else, wouldn't it? And you were mine before anyone else. Maybe not physically, but you have always been mine to protect. It's a logical step up from that," Inuyasha said, actually blushing. Then they both glanced over as another form shifted from the forest and Inuyasha looked guilty. Kagome looked surprised, and a bit wary of the new woman.  
  
"I am pleased to see you in such good physical health, Kagome," Kikyou said in her normal smooth and rich tones. For once, Kagome didn't feel the twinge of jealousy she usually did upon seeing the human miko. Or whatever she was now. A miko yes, but the jewel might have made her more. Kagome was unsure of what her look-alike was now.  
  
"Kikyou. Nice to see you to," Kagome said politely, if a bit awkwardly.  
  
"Excuse me. But exactly how do you all know Kagome?" Kurama asked coldly, his green eyes having turned a blazing gold as his anger grew. What was his cousin up to? What danger was she putting herself in? Why did that woman look like her? And why were both of the women ignoring him?  
  
"We met her 500 years ago. Who are you?" Inuyasha asked bluntly. Kurama stiffened and gold met gold. "I am her cousin."  
  
"Is it safe?" Kikyou asked while the redheaded boy and Inuyasha started glaring at each other.  
  
"Is _what_ safe?" Yusuke asked in exasperation from the sidelines. Both of them ignored him and Kagome nodded solemnly.   
  
"It is safe, Kikyou. It will be safe until the day I die." Kagome's smile turned a bit bitter. She knew what being the jewel's Guardian meant. Eventually demons would start coming, and they would find her. But she wouldn't allow the jewel to be in their hands, even if it cost her life.  
  
"Don't," Kikyou said sharply. Kagome eyed her.  
  
"Don't what?"  
  
"Die. It's not as important as your life, Kagome." Inuyasha had stopped glaring as shock went through him. Then Kagome smiled, but it was the fake one that he had seen too often.  
  
"My life isn't that important Kikyou. The world will still continue as it is if I die. It may not if the jewel falls into the hands of someone else." Inuyasha stared at them and shuddered. They were being so serious. That was normal for Kikyou, but even when she was mad Kagome forgave easily and attempted to forget. Now, she wasn't acting at all like herself. Inuyasha felt the spirit detectives staring at the girls, wondering what was wrong with them.  
  
"Oh? The jewel can always be retrieved. There are always more warriors. But there is only one you Kagome. How many people will grieve when you die? What will happen to all of them? Your cousin? Shippo? These two girls you've bonded with? More than you even bonded with Sango. Are you really going to leave them all?" Kikyou's eyes were cold, but Kagome had caught something else, and her heart pounded in her chest.  
  
"Oh Kami-sama. That's why you came. There's something new, isn't there?" Inuyasha flinched in the corner of her vision, and Kagome had to use all her self-control not to let out a cry right there. She'd made enough scenes for today.  
  
"Answer my question, Guardian. Which is more important, your friends or your duty?" Kikyou asked sharply.  
  
"My friends of course," Kagome said without hesitation, but what she continued to say stopped the relief from flowing within Kikyou and Inuyasha. "Which is exactly why I must fulfill my duty and protect the jewel with my life if necessary."  
  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha spoke sharply, and the growl vibrating through his chest was being echoed by an equally angry, though not nearly as shocked, Shippo.   
  
"I think that's enough for now, mikos," Shippo said coolly. And Kagome flinched at the tone. He had never addressed her like that, never just as "miko". It hurt.  
  
"Perhaps it is. Since my fellow miko seems as attached to her duty as I was to mine. And we all know where that got me." Kikyou didn't move, despite her words, and Kagome understood what they were trying to do. It did work in a way. It also made her angry. She wasn't just something to be manipulated into doing what they thought was best for her.  
  
"That's enough," Kagome bit off sharply.  
  
"Is it now?" Kikyou asked. Then she was knocked backwards onto her back and found Kagome staring at her then her closed fist in shock. She winced as all three of her feudal friends stared at her.   
  
There was silence until Kagome sighed and looked up at the sky, clasping her hands together behind her back. "Not like I'm allowed to put myself in danger anyway, right kitsunes?"  
  
"Right!" came the total agreement from her son and cousin. In an instant the two had flashed each other knowing looks. Yusuke cleared his throat again, this time attempting the more polite approach. "Excuse me, but what exactly is Kagome protecting?"  
  
"The Shikon no Tama," Kagome said softly, but it caused Kurama to stiffen anyway, and Hiei's eyes widened marginally. Yusuke looked around in confusion and Botan sighed, glancing at Kagome for permission before beginning.  
  
"A long time ago, there was a miko named Midoriko who was the greatest menace against evil demons of her kind. One time, many demons banded together to get rid of her. No one witnessed the battle, so it's hard to say exactly what happened, but suffice it to say the Shikon no Tama came out of that battle. It came from Midoriko and it is probably one of the most powerful objects to ever exist. For a demon, its power makes them go crazy, and in turn taints the jewel. Miko's can purify it, the stronger the miko the better. It can also grant a wish, and an unselfish wish will purify it. Kikyou was its first Guardian about 550 years ago, then she was killed, and the Shikon no Tama was burned with her and later was Kagome's responsibility. She was her reincarnation." Botan knew there were quite a few details she was leaving out, but Yusuke already looked like that information was a bit much.  
  
"But...she's alive now, isn't she?" Yusuke asked in confusions, then adding, "How did it come to be with Kagome if it was burnt? And where is it?"  
  
"It's around my neck at the moment," Kagome said dryly. Kurama swung his head towards her in alarm.  
  
"Kagome, isn't that a bit dangerous?" Kurama asked, trying to keep calm. If his cousin got angry, she wouldn't listen to what anyone said.   
  
"It's more dangerous to leave it lying around where it could be stolen," Kagome said simply.  
  
"Which comes to why we are here in a way," Kikyou said, noticing that Kagome was avoiding telling the boys how the Shikon no Tama had come to her.  
  
"Then there is something new?" Kagome questioned, wondering at her own sanity when a thrill ran through her. She was even trying to hide a grin. So was Shippo. And Inuyasha. Kagome blinked as Kikyou smiled.  
  
"There is." Kagome actually did grin now, forgetting the earlier speech. Thank kami! She'd finally be able to get out of here. And kick some demon butt.  
  
Shippo chuckled, then looked at the others. "So, when are the other's getting here? I know Kagura wouldn't miss this at least."   
  
"Kagura? She got her heart then, before we destroyed Naraku?" Kagome was fairly giddy. And her cousin looked like he was a bit _too_ calm. And a bit confused. She felt a bit sorry for him, but she needed this.  
  
"She did. Will we have any others joining us, then? Because I'm sure there are two who are as eager as you Kagome, even if they have less experience." Kikyou was trying not to look at the two girls to one side, instead covertly studying the boys and other girl behind Kagome. They all looked like they were dealing with too much right now. Even Kagome and Shippo did, but they would catch up much more quickly.  
  
"I will come," Yukina announced, followed and instant later by Botan's, "I'm coming!"  
  
_That _seemed to jerk all the boys out of it, and soon three of the boys and Keiko had turned on them, arguing with them. Obviously whatever they were talking about was dangerous and they could let the girls go. Hiei glared a lot. Kurama ignored them and looked at Kagome.  
  
"How did you get the Shikon no Tama, Kagome?" her cousin asked. She gulped, but answered him just as quietly as he had questioned her. "It was inside of me. On my fifteenth birthday a demon ripped it out of my side."  
  
Kurama sighed heavily and nodded. "I see." Then it seemed to sink in and he shuddered. "Fifteen years, one of the most powerful objects created was inside of you? I'm surprised you haven't purified every demon within a mile in one of your fits."  
  
"I don't have fits," Kagome said with a scowl. Kurama smiled gently and pulled her towards him, hugging her gently. "Be careful, Kagome."  
  
"Don't worry about me, Kurama. I'll see you later, ok? Can you distract the boys' a-and Keiko from Botan and Yukina? I don't want them in danger, but if Kikyou thinks they would be all right, then they probably will be." Kagome faltered before she tried to say Keiko, remembering the pain she had caused the girl. It would be a long time before she'd be able to look Yusuke Urameshi or Keiko Yukimura in the face again. Especially Yusuke, at least until the memory of the kiss had faded.  
  
"I will try. Go to the front of the shrine and I'll see what I can do." For some reason, Kurama's eyes sparkled with mischief, and longing. He risked a glance at Keiko and Kagome's eyes widened. She hesitated, then gave in when he gave her a mock glare.  
  
"All right, but make sure she accepts before you do. I don't want to come home and find out the guy I like killed my cousins while I was gone." Kurama's eyes lost all mirth and turned serious as he looked at her.  
  
"You really do like him then, it wasn't just to get away?"  
  
"I do. I decided to kill two birds with one stone. Get away and see what it felt like. I wasn't really thinking. I didn't think he'd..." She trailed off, not knowing how to say that she hadn't thought he would ever want to kiss her of his own free will instead of just respond to her own kiss.  
  
"I know. I understand. Go, Kagome. I don't want you to do this, but anything I say against it will make you more reckless. Just be careful." At her quick nod, he released her and started over to the arguing mass of people. Kagome signaled to the others and the three quickly followed her as she slipped around the shrine. She nodded to Yukina and Botan and indicated with her head that they'd be out front.  
  
A couple of minutes later, a shocked and surprised pair met them, though Yukina seemed to be giggling. "Kurama kissed her."  
  
Kagome lifted an eyebrow at Yukina and then giggled with her. "I thought he would. When he said he created a distraction, he was looking at her in a certain way. She kiss him back?"  
  
"Oh yeah. Yusuke's struggling between flying into a rage and getting out of there to find something besides your cousin to punch," Botan said, trying not to grin as she remembered Yusuke's face.  
  
"Why can't the boys deal with whatever this is anyway?" Botan asked Kikyou. The six of them began to walk as Kikyou shook her head, never breaking stride as she spoke, looking directly ahead.  
  
"The Spirit Detectives are meant to protect Ningenkai from demons. This has to do with the jewel. If we thought we could do it without Kagome and Shippo, we wouldn't put her and the jewel in such danger. But someone is creating an army to fight with, and they are going to summon the Guardian and the jewel. We, even with our allies, don't have enough power to stop that. But, with all of us, plus you two, Shippo, and Kagome with her power backed by the jewel, we may be able to eliminate the demon and it's army before it starts invading," Kikyou explained.  
  
"But, if they invade Ningenkai-" Botan began.  
  
"Not Ningenkai. They want to invade all the other lands of the Makai, and with the help of the jewel, they can not only do this, but keep on ruling. You, with your oar, would make an excellent scout. Yukina, your ice powers can be useful, but we would like you to stay in the back of the group when we are all together and alternate between helping with your ice and using your healing powers. This is the sort of thing we try to do. We attempt to keep peace in the Makai." Kikyou was startled to see Botan's eyes widen; though the former undead didn't show it at all.  
  
"You're the mysterious group we use to hear reports of! Humans sometimes, who lived in Makai with you, a wind demon or two, a couple of wolf demons, and a fire-cat. Some even said Sesshoumaru himself joined in. We all though you were on big rumor." Botan said in surprise. Both Shippo and Kagome looked at Inuyasha and Kikyou in surprise. They shrugged, but a smile tugged at Kikyou's lips.  
  
"We are not. Now, we are almost at the place we entered. You can create a portal, correct?"  
  
"Right," and Botan did as directed and the six stepped through the new portal.  
  
At Genkai's shrine, the shouting had turned down to shock, and Keiko was staring in between the glaring and desperately unhappy and confused Yusuke, and Kurama, who looked like serenity incarnate if not for the slightly nervous twitching his hand was making. Funny, she'd never noticed that she noticed that before.  
  
Kuwabara had started yelling at Kurama for kissing "Yusuke's girl" and Hiei was glaring at both Yusuke and Kurama. Genkai had also come out and joined in with comments. Yusuke backed off a bit for a bit, trying to figure out exactly what was happening today. He looked around to glare at the hanyou who he had suddenly decided to blame and found he wasn't there. In fact, no one was there.  
  
"Kurama," Yusuke said calmly as he looked about the space where six people had somehow disappeared unnoticed from. Damn kitsune had found an awfully good distraction.  
  
"Yes, Yusuke?" Kurama asked, wondering how long it would take before the detective snapped and began fighting him. He would fight back of course. Besides, he had kissed a girl he wasn't supposed to today too; a fight now would be pure hypocrisy. Especially since Keiko had had no ulterior motives when she kissed him after he drew away. He wondered briefly if this kind of insanity ran in the family.  
  
"Where is your cousin?" Yusuke asked, turning around to see Kurama tense then force himself to relax, his tone staying perfectly neutral. "Is she gone? I hadn't noticed."  
  
Keiko's eyes grew wide, and then she closed them, keeping her tears at bay. He'd used her to get his stupid cousin who'd kissed her boyfriend (ex-boyfriend?) out of here. How dare he!  
  
"No, I used the distraction as a reason to kiss you, not the kiss as a means of distraction. What was it? Ah yes, 'kill two birds with one stone'." Kurama watched her eyes widened as she realized she'd spoken out loud, even if she had mumbled.  
  
"Damn it Kurama, who uses a kiss as a distraction, or a distraction as a reason to kiss someone?" Yusuke realized the stupidity of that question the instant Kurama began to smile.  
  
"Kagome does. It was a splendid idea, and I'm sure she could have thought of a dozen other ideas, just as I could just then. Unfortunately, she tends not to think much at all, and I-" Kurama stopped, then went on thoughtfully, "I didn't want to do anything different."  
  
"Stupidity runs in the family. Kagome did all sorts of strange and utterly stupid, but very brave things when she was hunting shards. They're not here any more then?" A voice from the shadows asked.  
  
"Who wants to know?" Yusuke asked challengingly. A familiar voice answered him.  
  
"Relax, Yusuke. Kagura won't do your girl no harm. Nor will I and Touya." Jin came out of the woods, followed by Touya and a red eyed woman with a fan held in one hand.   
  
"She has left, Jin. Come on, we have no time to talk to your friends. We need to get to the meeting." Kagura glared at the two men following her as they exchanged exasperated glances.  
  
"Right then. Let's go Touya," Jin said under the glare as Yusuke managed to gather his wits and shout, "Hey! Kagome's not my girl!"  
  
They all looked on in surprise and Touya suddenly looked interested. "Truly? It was a simple mistake? Interesting. There is no one who holds her heart? She is available to be courted?"  
  
"You seem a bit overly interested," Kurama said suspiciously. Touya let a small smile grace his lips, then looked up at the two wind demons. "Weren't we going somewhere?"  
  
Yusuke scowled as the three went off and met Kurama's amused stare. "What?"  
  
"Do you think Touya would make a good match for Kagome?" Kurama asked in response. Yusuke froze and didn't notice the cunning look in Kurama's eyes. "No! He wouldn't be! He's a damn demon, for one thing-"  
  
"So have all of the boys who she's even been mildly serious about I hear," Kurama said, watching with interest as Yusuke's fury grew. Keiko was struggling between anger at Yusuke and delight that she might be able to be with Kurama if Yusuke kept going on this way.  
  
"Fucking hell, Kurama! She just kissed me, didn't she? Are you saying she was playing with me?" For some reason that thought disturbed Yusuke more than anything else did.  
  
"No, but apparently you don't want her, so I was simply asking your opinion," Kurama stated.  
  
"Of course I want her, I've liked her since I met-" Yusuke stopped and realized everybody, even Keiko, was watching him with amusement written on their faces. Though Keiko still looked hurt. Apparently Kurama's kiss had magical healing properties though, since Keiko seemed a lot happier than she had earlier.  
  
"Maybe you should have said something to her then, instead of just kissing her," Kurama said dryly.  
  
"I wouldn't say 'just kissing'," Yusuke muttered, then added, "When should I have said something? While that silver haired demon was trying to kiss her, while I was trying to get you two, or while she was acting like she was suicidal. Or maybe when everyone began yelling at each other!"  
  
"By the look in Touya's eyes, you might have to work quickly when she comes back if you want to attempt to be with my cousin, Yusuke. And I mean a real relationship. I want more than just you two making out whenever you see each other." Kurama's calm smile belied the dangerous tone hidden beneath his words.  
  
"Hey, how do you even know she wants to be with me? She could go kissing everyone for all-" Yusuke decided to stop as Kurama's eyes flashed gold. "Right, never mind. I'll get right on that when she gets back."  
  
Yusuke shuddered slightly as Kurama smiled again and walked away. Kurama was ruthless when it came to his family, and no matter how strong he was, Yusuke didn't want to be on the wrong side of Kurama when his strategic brain started working on the best ways to hurt people in the longest amount of time. The death seed went through Yusuke's mind and the spirit detective went home that night glaring vengefully at every tree.  
  
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More reviews! More I say! Mwuahaha! Mmm...puppy! Cuddle! What was I saying again? Oh! Go follow the link in my bio to my Yusuke/Kagome yahoo group. And a link from there to Rose's yahoo group.


	4. Chapter 3

Title: Family Problems  
Chapter: 3  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha  
  
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Chapter 3 - Meeting Mother  
  
It had been a week since the boys and Keiko had last seen Kagome and the other two girls. Kurama had taken to passing by Genkai's shrine and Kagome's shrine every day, hoping that she'd be at one of them. When he'd let her go, he hadn't expected for it to take so long. Worrisome thought began to intrude upon him at the oddest time. Today, all four boys and Keiko were going to Genkai's shrine.  
  
Kurama stiffened halfway up the steps and his eyes widened. Before anyone could ask what was wrong, he shot up the stairs. Interpreting his actions, Yusuke was hot on his heels. Both of them skidded to a stop near the door at the scene there. Botan was outside, and she was curled up in a sleeping Shippo's lap. They looked rather comfortable. Much more comfortable than they had been days before.  
  
They were still staring when everyone else caught up to them. Keiko cleared her throat and opened her mouth to say something, but she didn't get any father as Shippo's eyes opened in a flash, on his feet and in a fighting crouch in an instant. He relaxed upon seeing who it was, then blushed as Botan started to wake up from where she now lay.  
  
"Shippo? Why are you...Oh. Hi Kurama. Yusuke. Keiko. Kuwabara. Hiei. Umm...Why are you here?" Botan smiled nervously. That quickly turned into a glare when Yusuke began snickering. Shippo helped Botan up, brushing her off awkwardly. There were a few wide eyes when his hands went places that they shouldn't have while brushing her off. Botan rolled her eyes. "I can brush my butt off myself, thank you very much. Go check on the others."  
  
Shippo sniffed the air and sighed. "No need. Miss Stubborn is up and about. Kikyou and Inuyasha left a bit after you went to sleep. Touya's asleep. Jin and Kagura are... in Kagura's room." He listened for a moment, and then looked relieved. "Only talking. Yukina's resting. We're here. No one else came back here through the portal, so everyone else is in Makai."  
  
"You have some nose," Botan murmured appreciatively. Shippo grinned, then jumped onto the roof and looked around. He glanced at Kurama and the others. "Hey, why are you guys here?"  
  
"Looking for Kagome, obviously," Yusuke said angrily. Shippo raised an eyebrow. Keiko was wincing, but all she did was move closer to Kurama. Obviously there must have been a talk over the week. Or the lack of one was letting the girl choose.   
  
"Yeah, everybody's looking for her. She's so stubborn. She should be resting and healing, instead she's up and about. She's somewhere around the shrine. She wandered off into the forest a couple of times just to get away from me trying to coddle her. Well, the second time anyway. The first time she still had her fever. You want to see her? Go find her then." Shippo watched as both Kurama and Yusuke took off again. He snickered as he looked behind him at his roof companion. Botan joined them on her oar and both of them raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Bets on who finds you first?" Botan asked innocently.  
  
"Same time of course. Kurama will eventually use his nose and Yusuke will look where he would go." Kagome grinned; watching as Kurama stopped at one point in his search and sniffed the air, then took off back towards the shrine. Apparently he wasn't looking up yet. She looked around for Yusuke, ignoring the sudden giggles of Botan and Shippo.   
  
Then she was startled to find herself flat on her back, a familiar face above her that was a mix of exasperation, anger, and relief. She was sure all of those emotions were towards himself as well as her. She smirked at him and raised an eyebrow, refusing to look into why her skin seemed warmer everywhere he touched. Presently, the situation looked extremely similar to the one where she'd decided to kiss him to make him let go.  
  
"Where have you been?" Kagome almost frowned. He actually sounded worried. She'd have thought he would have wanted nothing to do with her after all the trouble she must have caused between him and Keiko.  
  
"Mostly? In the Makai. Yesterday we got here." Her expression dared him to find something wrong with that. He gladly met that challenge. "Why didn't you tell anyone you were back yesterday?"  
  
Kagome huffed and squirmed, glaring at him when he refused to move. She hated being pinned down, and she was struggling not to make this a repeat of the week before. That hadn't turned out well. Well, it had, but it hadn't. She was confusing herself now.   
  
"We were all dead tired, that's why!" Kagome snapped, squirming and bucking as he appeared not to even be considering moving. He probably thought she'd run. Which she would have, from this situation. Finally he sighed and got off of her, extending his hand to help her up. She didn't hesitate to take it. Her anger moved on in an instant. "Why are you always so difficult?"  
  
Kagome flashed him a grin at the grumbled question. "Excuse me, but who had me pinned down before I even knew he was there?"  
  
He actually smirked at her. "That was for fun. You looked so shocked when I did that. Keeping you down was for information, which you seem to hate giving."  
  
"Maybe I like being difficult. So far it has been fun." Yusuke blinked at her grinning face, but Kurama jumping onto the roof with a scowl interrupted whatever he would have said to that.   
  
Shippo snickered suddenly and Kagome and Yusuke jumped. They'd forgotten he was there. "You're a bit late Kurama. Yusuke found Kagome a minute or two ago. You missed the show. They're very entertaining."  
  
"I wouldn't be saying anything since me and Kurama walked up on you and Botan snuggling." Yusuke shot back, only to be shocked by both the females giggling. "What?"  
  
"I didn't know snuggling was part of the tough guy vocabulary," Kagome said through her giggling. Yusuke glared at her. Even Kurama was hiding a snicker. Then he turned serious. "How long have you been home?"  
  
"Yesterday. I've been sleeping, as has mostly everybody else. We got here yesterday morning and I woke last night."  
  
"And ever since then, despite that she still had a ton of bandages on, she's been trying to sneak off," Shippo tried not to let the anger he had been feeling seethe into his voice now. It didn't matter. Kurama still jumped upon one part of the statement. "Bandages? You were wounded? How badly?"  
  
"Don't worry, it wasn't that bad." Kagome let out a reassuring smile, hoping that Shippo would be quiet about it. She didn't need Kurama worrying. After all, she was pretty much healed now. Her leg still ached, but everything else had healed already thanks to Yukina and Botan and her bodies own healing process which seemed to get faster the more fights she was in.  
  
"Are you healed already then?" Kurama asked worriedly.  
  
"Yeah, Botan and Yukina healed me." She knew that was a mistake the moment both boys' eyes narrowed. Yusuke was practically glaring at her. "Why would you need both of them if it wasn't that bad?"  
  
Kagome tried a flippant no-big-deal smile. They were having none of it. She sighed and shook her head. "Really, it wasn't that bad. Just a few scrapes here. Um... Well, that demon did send a dagger through my side. And I broke my leg. A couple other things."  
  
"I can't believe you let her go!" This was Yusuke, looking pointedly at Kurama.  
  
"Neither can I now!" He turned, his eyes blazing as he looked at Kagome. "I forbid you to go with them again!"  
  
Behind Kagome, Shippo gave him a pitying look while prudently stepping back to the edge of the roof. Kagome's still weak aura flared in righteous fury. "You _forbid _me? And what right do you have to forbid me? If I forbid you to go off and help your friends, would you allow it? No! Then what makes you think I will? I'll go with them as many times as I want, and that will be as many times as they announce they're going to fight someone. I'm healthy and even if my control needs work, with my power I'm an asset to the team! I will be useful, and you will not stop me Shuichi Kurama Minamino!"  
  
Any prudent male would have let it go and fought another day. Kurama was going to do just that and talk to her when she calmed down. Unfortunately, Yusuke was not prudent, and he had no qualms about telling her his opinion of what she was doing. As Kurama took a step back, Yusuke took a step forward, and Shippo wondered if he and Botan should move to another roof. Maybe to one of the trees. On the far side of the property. Definitely not anywhere close to them.  
  
"You just practically said you were dying with those injuries you had, and you just want to go back out there? Hell no! No one in their right mind would let you go out there with what you just said! Do you have a death wish or something?" Kagome eyes were on fire by the time Yusuke finished speaking.  
  
"But I'm not dead, and as long as I'm not, I have the right to go on fighting! You've come close to death plenty of times, but no one ever tells you to stop, now do they? So how about you mind your own business! I will keep fighting, and I will-" Yusuke had a very efficient way to cut her off. He occupied her mouth elsewhere. There were two growls, but both kitsunes restrained themselves as Kagome relaxed into Yusuke's arms.   
  
Kagome stepped back first, trying not to show how shaky she was. Her skin was humming under his touch and she licked her lips while looking away. "You shouldn't have done that."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Keiko." Kagome didn't see Yusuke and Kurama both wince. Kurama cleared his throat first. "There was a talk about that. Things are a bit confusing but Yusuke and Keiko..."  
  
Kurama trailed off awkwardly, trying not to let his own face heat up. Yusuke groaned at Kagome's confused expression and let his hands drop from her shoulders. "Kurama talked to me about you, Keiko talked to Kurama about all four of us, which Kurama passed on, and we're basically broken up and I wouldn't be surprised if Kurama and her have gotten together officially already."  
  
"All this in a week?" Kagome was stunned, but hope was welling up in her chest and she was struggling not to feel relieved. Even if she had single handedly redone much of the group dynamics.  
  
"What have you been doing this past week" Kurama asked politely, trying not to look Yusuke in the eye. He was partly right. He and Keiko weren't officially together, mostly because Kurama insisted that she should have time to deal with her emotions. Many emotions flitted across Kagome's face and she seemed to settle on embarrassed. "Well, I got to see everyone else again. Kagura introduced me to Jin and Touya. She seemed amused a bit when she introduced me to Touya. She pulled me over for the reason later."  
  
Here Kagome fought both a smirk and a blush before continuing. "She also mentioned you as she saw you before they left. Then we fought the demons. We retreated a few times for rest, but finally the day before yesterday we defeated them and we stayed until yesterday to allow everyone to heal enough and restore energy so that we could move. At least, that's what they said."  
  
"Who were you fighting?" After Yusuke's curious question Kagome's face became instantly guarded. "A group that needed to be put down."  
  
Shippo caught her eyes and Kagome closed hers as she saw the sympathy in them. She didn't like what she'd heard about why they were doing this. Unconsciously, her left hand creeped up to fist around the Shikon no Tama. She seemed to relax slightly, feeling the slight pulse of its magic beat within her.  
  
Kurama growled slightly when Yusuke tried to open his mouth to demand a better answer. At Yusuke's confused expression, he simply pointed to Kagome, who had turned from both of them. Yusuke studied her for a moment and grumpily admitted to himself they could push it later. She obviously wasn't ready to talk yet. "Does your mother know you're home yet?" Kurama queried.  
  
"I told her after Kagome was settled in," Shippo answered for her. "We should go home later today. Once Touya wakes up."  
  
Shippo coughed to cover his snickers at Yusuke's sudden tensing at Touya's name. Kurama's lips were quirked into a sly half-smile. "Why wait?"  
  
Kagome didn't seem to notice the suspicion in Yusuke's tone and continued on, oblivious to the danger. "Oh, he wanted to meet my family and I decided to get it all done at once. Besides, he saved my life at one point in there and I decided Mama should meet him. She'll probably cook him dinner or something. I'll find some special way to thank him myself later."  
  
Kurama groaned as Yusuke glared at her unaware back. She'd better make sure it wasn't anything too special, or Touya was going to be an ice pancake. Yusuke was going to flatten him. Kurama shook his head and grinned. If Yusuke had been thinking properly he would have known Kagome wouldn't ever do such a thing.   
  
Kurama decided there was an easier way to diffuse the situation. "You know, I haven't seen my Aunt and my other cousin in a long time. I don't believe Yusuke's met them yet either. Perhaps as you introduce Touya you could also introduce Yusuke and I could reacquaint myself with them."  
  
"Sure! Besides, if she's trying to figure out who is who then she won't be worrying about how hurt I was. Thanks Kurama!" Her sentiment was echoed by Yusuke relieved grin that he flashed at Kurama right before his eyes took on a scheming look. Kurama stifled a sigh. The teenager was too much.   
  
Shippo had his head tilted sideways and suddenly gave a satisfied grunt. "Kagura and Jin's latest argument has awoken Touya I think. He'll probably be ready soon. Nobody takes long to get up when those two are fighting."  
  
"What are they fighting about this time?" Kagome asked in exasperation. Shippo smirked and coughed to hide his laughter. "Window curtains."  
  
Kurama and Yusuke looked confused. Botan rolled her eyes. Kagome looked at the ceiling at her feet and stomped on it once, hearing the low shouts they'd been hearing stop for a moment. Why don't they just get them in green and save their breath?"  
  
"I think they enjoy arguing. Kagura argues more in cold logical tones usually, but with Jin that seems to get thrown out the window. Probably because his careless attitude puts her off balance." Shippo was still listening intently and gave a sudden chuckle that sounded almost like a giggle. "Now they're arguing about whether they should get green curtains or pretend they didn't hear what you said and keep arguing."  
  
Kagome got ready to stomp her foot again and say what she thought of the new argument. A calm, collected voice stopped her as ice blue eyes smiled up at her. "Please don't. They'll just find something even more ridiculous to argue about if you do. I'd rather not have a repeat of the time they argued whether everyone outside could hear them arguing."  
  
Kurama smiled in polite greetings to the ice master, and the ice youkai briefly returned it before his eyes went back to Kagome. "Weren't we going somewhere today?"  
  
"Yeah, you were, but me and Kurama are tagging along now too," Yusuke made no pretence at being even one iota unaware of the situation. He smirked when Touya's eyes narrowed slightly.  
  
"Truly? It will be interesting to have some more company along." The forced calm look made Yusuke's smirk grow bit wider. Kurama's sigh went unnoticed, and only Shippo noticed his cousin's gaze shifting between Touya and Yusuke with a small mischievous smile on her face.  
  
Shippo groaned slightly. "I'm suddenly wondering what Kagura told her. That smile is almost never good," he whispered hurriedly to Botan. Botan didn't see what he was talking about until she gave Kagome a considering look and saw the smile playing across her lips.  
  
"Let's get off the roof and get started then," Kagome chirped agreeably, going to the edge of the roof and calmly jumping off. Yusuke and Kurama both looked startled and peered over to see her land perfectly fine and beginning talking quietly to Touya. When she gave a quiet giggle at something Touya had said Yusuke broke out of his shock and dropped off the roof, somehow managing to land in between Touya and Kagome.  
  
Kagome backed up a couple of steps, only to back into Kurama who had dropped from the roof without a scene. He held her in place with a gentle hand on her shoulder. She leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Don't play with them Kagome. You've messed with Yusuke's life enough, and I believe he truly likes you. I know you like him, so don't take this game _too _far."  
  
Kagome glanced over her shoulder and nodded seriously. "I won't Kurama. It wouldn't be fair to Touya either. I'm just... this whole thing is making me off balance. He kissed me. So... I guess this is my defence."  
  
The two cousins said no more, but without a word started off. Shippo watched them go for a moment, and then glanced down at the three leftovers. "Botan and Yukina would probably be happy with a little girl time right now, Keiko. They need to catch up on current events of the past week, and I'm going home with Mama."  
  
"I haven't spent much time with Yukina and Botan so I suppose this would be a good time to catch up... But where is Kurama going? And Kagome and Yusuke?" Shippo chuckled at her rather obvious way of putting Kurama's name first. She blushed and looked away, attempting to hide it.  
  
"They're going to visit Kagome's Mama. So am I. They'll be back later." Shippo wasted no more potentially amusement filled time and bounded off of the roof and into the trees. He quickly caught up to the walking group and dropped down beside them, putting on an illusion to hide his tail and pointy ears. None of them showed any surprise except to glance at him as one and then look away again.  
  
Kurama and Shippo exchanged amused glances as Yusuke glared at Touya behind Kagome's back and Touya's eyes narrowed and his mouth curved into a thoughtful frown. Kagome was oblivious to both of them, anxiously scanning ahead of them for something.  
  
When they reached the shrine steps that something became apparent. A boy a few years younger than Kagome was running down the shrine steps. He paused halfway there, his eyes focusing on Touya, then on Yusuke and Kurama. Shippo groaned at the smirk that slowly grew on the boy's face.  
  
"Bringing home friends, Kagome? Interesting friends too, aren't they?" Kagome sighed in annoyance. That she had expected this didn't stop her from being annoyed.  
  
"Souta..." She said warningly. But he had already bounded down the last few steps and up too Yusuke and Touya. "You two are strong. You're a demon. And you have a weird aura."  
  
Yusuke leaned backwards in shock as a boy who couldn't be more than eleven or twelve sensed what Touya was and sensed that he was special too by just a look! "What the hell are you?"  
  
Souta actually gave a short chuckle. "You her boyfriend? Or you? Hard to tell, you're both acting possessive."  
  
"Child, why should you care?" Touya frowned forebodingly at the boy. He gave an uneven grin and answered cheerfully. "I'm Kagome's younger brother! I'll tell Mama you're coming up with your boyfriend... whichever one it is. Oh, nice to see you cousin!"  
  
"Wha..? Souta, come back here! Don't you dare tell her that!" Kagome almost growled when her younger brother ignored her and bounded up the stairs.   
  
"I'm surprised he remembers me," Kurama said in surprise.  
  
"He doesn't. I just talk to him when I try to teach him to use mystical senses. Which he's gotten better at then I thought. He remembered my description of you and your aura. Come on, before Souta starts making things up to tell Mama." The group was at the top of the stairs in the blink of an eye and Kagome scrambled forward to cut off Souta's shout.  
  
"...And I know one of them is her boyfriend, and I think IT'S MPMPHH!" Kagome smiled sweetly at her mother while she kicked her brother in the back of his shin, apparently not noticing when he tried to bite her hand in retaliation.  
  
"Kagome, is there something you'd like to tell me?" Mrs. Higurashi was eyeing the two boys Souta had been describing, not sure if she wanted her girl to be involved with anyone at all so soon after Inuyasha.   
  
"No." Kagome sulked, her lip jutting out into a pout as she did. Mrs. Higurashi raised an eyebrow. She carefully let the subject drop when her daughter appeared to be less than incline to tell her what was going on. Upon seeing the shocked of long red hair and green eyes that did not belong to Shippo, a smile lit up Mrs. Higurashi's face.  
  
"Shuichi! Shori was telling me how much you'd grown recently! I was so glad when Kagome came home from her... _vacation _and told me you and Shori's number. I have been so glad to catch up with my sister." Kurama stepped forward hesitantly towards the woman radiating kindness and acceptance. He was engulfed in a hug that reminded him pointedly of his mother. He made a mental note to pay special attention to his mother when he got home. He had been neglecting her a bit with Kagome, missions, and the strange relationship developing between himself and Keiko and Yusuke and Kagome.  
  
He only wished that either his aunt or his mother could be told about what he really was. But both mothers seemed ignorant of their children's supernatural powers. So it came to a surprise when Mrs. Higurashi drew back, still smiling lovingly and kindly, and asked pleasantly, "Is your kitsune form as tall as Shippo?"  
  
There was a stunned silence from Touya and Yusuke. Kurama gaped at the woman in front of him, who managed a confused glance towards Kagome. Kagome understood and sighed. "Mama knew about a lot of my feudal adventures, I saw no reason to keep things about her own family from her."  
  
"Oh. I apologize for my..." Kurama trailed off, not sure _what _he was apologizing for. Souta snorted.  
  
"For what? Being surprised that my sister blurts out everything without a moment's notice? 'Sides, Mama would have figured there was something strange about you eventually. After all, no one _normal _hangs around big sis." Souta smirked at his sister who smiled a bit too sweetly in return.  
  
"Remember that applies to you, he who begs to hang out with me. Normality not only doesn't hang around here anymore, it didn't even take the time to pack its bags before it left screaming." Souta scowled and put on an expression identical to hers when she pouted. Kagome couldn't help but giggle a bit and looked away when he glared at her.  
  
"Come on children, let's go in and eat." Mrs. Higurashi herded them into the house and then went to make something for the "children" to eat.   
  
Touya tilted his head and looked puzzled. "I am not a child. I have not been a child for over a century."  
  
Shippo chuckled lightly. "I'm over five hundred and part of Kurama's over three hundred. Believe me, your actual age doesn't matter. She will call you child forever if you're one of Kagome's friends."  
  
The six assorted supernaturally powered beings exchanged glances, then as one sat down, spreading themselves across the living room. Kagome ended up between Yusuke and Touya, and at Kurama's raised eyebrow, Kagome shrugged. This time it wasn't her fault, but it was better than if she hadn't been in the middle. They'd probably tear each other apart somehow.  
  
"So, which one?" Souta's bright question left the two boys next to her confused and the two kitsunes amused. Kagome glared at Souta, who smiled just as sweetly as she had done a minute or two ago.  
  
"Ekusuy," Kagome said suddenly, a playful smile running across her lips. Kurama's expression turned puzzled, but Shippo began laughing out loud. Souta grinned too, which had Kagome grimacing. She hadn't expected her little brother to figure out that ever-so-simple "code" she had just used.  
  
"Hey, what are your names, anyway?" Souta asked, directing his question towards the demon on her left and the teenager on her right.  
  
"Yusuke Urameshi."  
  
"I am Touya, an ice youkai."  
  
Souta eyes lit up and his eyes briefly flitted to Yusuke's form before he started to laugh. Kagome actually began to blush, but whether from anger, embarrassment, or a combination of both was anyone's guess. Kurama still looked puzzled. "What does Ekusuy mean?"  
  
Shippo leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Kurama blinked and then grimaced at himself. "Of course. Why not? Next we can all start saying it's opposite day like five-year-olds."  
  
"It's opposite day!" Souta and Kagome exclaimed at once. Kurama groaned and Shippo burst out into laughter again. Yusuke and Touya accidentally exchanged confused glances before briefly glaring and turning away. Kagome and Souta joined Shippo in giggling as Kurama attempted a stern expression.  
  
"It's not funny."  
  
"So, you're saying it _is _funny?" Kagome asked innocently. Kurama opened his mouth to refute her statement, and then realized he'd be agreeing with it, but that she'd probably turn it around and say it wasn't opposite day if he agreed, so he'd still be agreeing. Kurama put a hand to his head and felt Youko whimper. The human part of him whole-heartedly agreed. His family was crazy.  
  
He kind of liked it.  
  
------------  
  
Chaos Babe: I'm glad it's interesting! Here's another chapter!  
  
Fire Kitsune Goddess: Thank you, I'm glad you like it!  
  
kitsunekagome23: Thanks, I will!  
  
Susei: On the double! Here's another chapter!


	5. Chapter 4

Title: Family Problem  
Chapter: 4  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha  
  
**Questions:  
  
Is Yusuke a Toushin in this fic?  
**This one is a definite one I want to answer. There have not been any canon missions, from the series, since the DT. So the answer? Nope. Not yet anyway.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Chapter 4 - "They need a talk. Or at least to scream at each other a bit."  
  
It had been about one week since the boys had followed Kagome home, and Kurama had finally found time to have a real talk with Keiko. He should have had it earlier after the little get together at Kagome's house, but when that had ended badly with Touya and Yusuke actually fighting, Kurama had been busy trying to calm all the assorted parties down, especially his cousin.  
  
It was earlier in the day than most people would have thought to be an appropriate time to talk. In fact, most people didn't have talks at eight o'clock in the morning, most of them slept. But neither Kurama nor Keiko was particularly slothful and Kurama had invited Keiko to a more obscure part of a nearby park when they'd bumped into each other as they wandered around the early mornings streets.  
  
"I suppose this is about... Well... everything that's happened since your cousin appeared." Keiko said before he could even open his mouth. She seemed a bit bitter towards Kagome, but not nearly as much as he would have expected.  
  
"Actually I was going to more focus on the us aspect than everything else, but if you want to talk about everything..." Kurama trailed off and let Keiko begin.  
  
"Oh. Well, it's just... I don't know what to think. I was always so stuck on that me and Yusuke would be together, that when I did start liking you, I just shoved it off as a silly crush since Yusuke and I... We were supposed to be the perfect couple! The one that knows each other, grows up together and gets married! What happened to that?" Keiko stopped then continued after a beat. "Don't answer that. I can't even blame it on Kagome because as admiring of her as he'd been I'd been looking at you. We took each other for granted and I didn't even see the line that tied us together being strained until your cousin cut it with a kiss. I didn't even ever kiss him! She kissed him before I did! But... Was it wrong of me to be slightly glad that it had been them who'd done it and not me? To feel relief? What kind of person am I Kurama?" Keiko was beginning to cry again and despite the pain he felt at some of her words he pulled her against him, arranging it so they were sitting with her back to his front with his legs on either side as he put his arms around her soothingly.  
  
"A normal one. No one ever wants to be the one to be the one to end something even when they want it to end. Did you?" Kurama had to ask; he didn't want this just to be her turning to the closest boy for comfort.  
  
"I did. Deep down, I sort of did. I can't really blame Yusuke or myself because..." Keiko hesitated but was confused when he chuckled. He could feel his relief like it was a real handheld object.  
  
"Because Kagome took care of it for both of you." Kurama said. "I have to ask you a question Keiko. Was it selfish of me to be glad my cousin did what she so that I had the opportunity to be with you?"  
  
Keiko was silent before turning in his arms and staring into his emerald green eyes with her own shining brown ones. "Only if it's wrong of me to think the same thing sometimes."  
  
Kurama's smile held more relief that Keiko had ever thought to see on his face. He was always confident of himself, yet she had put him off balance? She smiled and laid her head against his chest, only to have her face gently pulled away and to see the sweetest smile on the kitsune's face before he tilted his head slightly and leaned his head towards hers.  
  
It wasn't like the distraction that he had used as an excuse to kiss her. That had been more spur of the moment, less meaningful, and quicker. There had been less passion and more surprise in both of them. This time Kurama was quick to tilt her head back and allow the kiss to deepen. Anyone catching them would have seen two teenagers making out, just like any other couple. For once normal and without any friends or distractions to interrupt them.  
  
Of course, the plants wouldn't allow anyone to interrupt them anyway. One of them wasn't as normal as they were pretending to be after all.  
  
---  
  
It was nine o'clock when Keiko and Kurama climbed the steps to Genkai's shrine, hand in hand as they reached the top. They went inside and were met with the most astonishing sight. It was something they would have thought would have been impossible, an abomination for how the world worked.  
  
Yusuke was awake and alert of his own free will on a Saturday morning before noon. He didn't even seem to notice them at first and both of them raised an eyebrow as they saw him drinking some tea that Genkai had apparently made. "Um, Yusuke?"  
  
The teenager jumped halfway out of his seat and almost spilled his cup as he looked up at them. Both of them were staring at him and Keiko raised her hand that wasn't connected to Kurama and pointed at him. "Your up. And drinking tea. Are you sick?"  
  
Yusuke glared at them both and crossed his arms. "It's just what Genkai gave me. And I'm waiting for Kagome."  
  
"She's meeting you here?" Kurama asked, a bit amused by the shifty look on his friend's face as he knew very well Kagome had done no such thing since he had called her last night and found out she and Yusuke were still having their mini spat over Touya. And of course, there was the fact she was already here with Yukina and Botan and had in fact slept over.  
  
"Well... She doesn't know I'm here. But when she gets here we will be having a talk." Yusuke was obviously proud of his idea. Genkai came in at that moment and nodded to the two teenagers.  
  
"Kurama, Keiko. At least now someone else can attempt to keep the dimwit occupied. He's been here since seven o'clock." Kurama and Keiko's jaws dropped open. Yusuke looked offended. "What? I can't get up early?"  
  
"You've been up since seven o'clock?" Keiko asked faintly.  
  
"Actually six, I didn't decide to start coming here until quarter of seven," Yusuke mumbled into his cup of tea. There were more stares as Genkai took up her own cup of tea and Kurama asked curiously, "How did you get Yusuke to drink tea anyway?"  
  
Genkai raised an eyebrow at a suddenly wide-eyed and squirming spirit detective. "He made the tea, why wouldn't he drink it? I'm surprised he has any useful skills, but apparently he can make some tea."  
  
Brown and green gazes swung around to the teenager again who scowled warningly at them. "Tea's good for hangovers. I learned to make it for my Mom when I was younger, that's all."  
  
Kurama simply raised an eyebrow at the defensive gestures and inclined his head, hiding his smile. Keiko looked at the clock and frowned. "What makes you think Kagome would be here this early? And why didn't you just ask Yukina to call her and ask when she'd be over?"  
  
"Genkai said she was still asleep and not to wake her. And Kagome's been here even earlier than this sometimes according to Botan," Yusuke said smugly, having already thought ahead of Keiko.  
  
"Yes, being awoken by three overtired teenage girls at three o'clock in the morning because on of them had a nightmare and they invited her over when she called is not fun." Genkai took another sip of her tea.  
  
Kurama looked around, sniffed the air, and then said as he turned to try a cup of Yusuke made tea, "I don't see why you're waiting, you could just wake her up. She's only a couple of rooms over."  
  
Kurama grinned as he felt the room freeze as Yusuke gaped at the back of his head. "WHAT?"  
  
"Oh, didn't you know? Kagome slept over here last night. She called me briefly before she left her house to talk and told me. I can smell her as well." Kurama was pleased with the angry fuming Yusuke was doing. He had a feeling Kagome was about to get an interesting awakening.  
  
By the time he turned around with two cups of tea Yusuke was striding down towards the door. Kurama gave one to Keiko who smiled at him gratefully. "Sure you should have done that?"  
  
"They need a talk. Or at least to scream at each other a bit. We may want to go outside. Coming Genkai?" The old woman took one glance at the opening door and followed the couple outside. Hopefully Botan and Yukina would have the common sense to get away from there as soon as possible once they awoke.  
  
Yusuke actually was lucky on the first door he tried. He opened it to find himself looking at three lumps curled up on a few mattresses, blankets, and overly large, small, and normal sized pillows. He looked around the room and grimaced. "Definitely a girl's room. The pastels and dark purple's prove it."  
  
Yusuke looked around, raising his eyebrow at the collection of video games and DVDs near the TV. He hadn't even known Genkai owned a TV, never mind a large one with a DVD player and game consoles. The girls always got the best out of life.  
  
The teenager studied the three lumps and saw that on the two farthest away from him, there was some blue and green hair peeking out from underneath the blankets. That meant that the third body was Kagome. He took a few steps forward and eyed the three. So, how was he going to wake them up? With a shrug Yusuke lifted the closest blanket and found Kagome happily sleeping on. He threw the blanket over his shoulder and crouched down.  
  
Without actually taking the time out to notice what she was wearing, he poked her in the ribs, trying to get her to wake up. Perhaps not the kindest wake, but actually all she did was give a sleepy giggle and squirm away. He raised an eyebrow. Was Kagome ticklish? New things were learned every day. He poked her bare ribs again and this time there was more movement just as he frowned. Bare ribs?  
  
He looked over her outfit as she slowly woke up and almost choked. Her pajama top was a tank top that had ridden up so her whole stomach was bare during the night. Fortunately she did have pajama shorts on, even if those were pretty short too. Yusuke raised an eyebrow and grinned as he looked her over again. If she wore this every night he'd been missing out on a lot of things. Now he wished he could come to sleep overs too.  
  
He grinned a bit maliciously as she began to wake up and leaned over her as she opened her eyes. She looked up at him sleepily. "What time is it?"  
  
"Just after nine A.M." He answered cheerily.  
  
"Then I'm hallucinating. Be a good hallucination and let me sleep." Kagome tried to roll over and found there was a hand on her bare stomach preventing it. She sucked in a breath at the mischievous grin on his face. "Not hallucinating?"  
  
"Nope. I came over to wait for you two hours ago and Kurama revealed to me you were already here. Time for you to get up!" Yusuke expected her to glare at him and say something nasty since he assumed she was still mad at him. He was surprised.  
  
"No it's not. Go 'way and let me sleep." Yusuke rolled his eyes as she squirmed under his hand and turned away, her back facing him as she quickly began to attempt going back to sleep. "Depends. Can I sleep with you?"  
  
"Sure. Just give me my blanket back," She mumbled as she started drifting off again, just trying to get him away. Yusuke stared at the half-asleep girl and debated his option. Let's see, her two best friends were only a few feet away and her cousin was out back awaiting the sounds of them talking. On the other hand... Yusuke's eyes narrowed and his smile turned a bit sly. She had said it was ok. They couldn't possibly fault him.  
  
He snickered, tried to grab the blanket and found someone was already holding it. He blinked and looked up to meet the stern red eyes of Yukina. She let him have the blanket but her gaze held a warning echoed by Botan's sleepy pink ones. "Wake her up and talk to her Yusuke. While I'm sure she'd enjoy sleeping beside a warm body she'd never forgive us if she woke up that way. And try to actually lift your eyes up to her face while you talk to her."  
  
Yusuke glared as they left, taking some blankets and pillows with them. He had the strangest urge to stick his tongue out at them. Too much time around the more immature members of the group apparently. Yusuke looked down at Kagome and grimaced before taking her by the shoulders and sitting her up. Apparently the movement woke her up and it was impossible to roll over and fall asleep while he was holding her.  
  
"Wake up Kagome. We need to talk."  
  
"Wha...? Yusuke? What are you...?" She stopped abruptly and glared at him. "No we don't."  
  
"Yes, we do."  
  
"No, we really don't."  
  
"Do to."  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Do to."  
  
"Not."  
  
"To."  
  
"Not"  
  
"T- Oh for kami's sake, we're going to talk whether you like it or not!" Yusuke and Kagome exchanged glares for a few moments before Kagome looked away. Yusuke resisted the immature impulse to cheer. She had looked away first.  
  
"There's nothing to talk about," Kagome muttered. Her arms were crossed stubbornly and she wasn't about to change her stance anytime soon. Yusuke glared at her.  
  
"Is too. You've been avoiding me. Hell, you've been avoiding me by going out of your way a few miles! Why?" Kagome gave him an incredulous look. "How can you ask that? You punched Touya!"  
  
"He tried to kiss you!" Yusuke said defensively.  
  
"On the cheek! Besides, I don't see what right you have to punch anyone who tries to kiss me." Instantly Kagome's eyes widened. By the faint hurt quickly hidden by defensive anger, that was the wrong thing to say.  
  
"You're right then. We don't have anything to talk about." Kagome winced at the cold tone and was on her feet. "Yusuke, I didn't..."  
  
"Then what the fuck did you mean Kagome? Maybe you _do _just going around kissing every boy since by your attitude obviously I don't mean anything." Yusuke glared down into gray-blue eyes that were quickly turning from guilty back to angry.  
  
"Well excuse me, you haven't exactly given any hints that you want to mean anything and punching Touya doesn't count. Hell, over protective brothers would've done that." Kagome glared up the couple of inches as he glared down.  
  
"I'm not you brother, I'm not related to you, and I sure as hell don't think of you any sister, otherwise the scenarios you play a part of in my head would be called incest," Yusuke hissed angrily. Kagome blinked at him, the anger briefly gone from her gaze as she attempted to recover from the shock he'd just given her.  
  
"Oh," Kagome said stupidly, blushing furiously. She tried to remember what she was angry about again and tried again. "Well, you still shouldn't have hit Touya. He's a nice boy."  
  
"He's not a boy Kagome, he's a demon." Kagome grinned as Yusuke grumbled at her. "So you're saying he's a girl?"  
  
"... I wouldn't be surprised." Yusuke muttered, loud enough for her to hear and watching her eyes flash again. To divert her attention from the rant he looked her up and down and smirked at her as he met her eyes again after lingering on his way up.  
  
"Nice pajamas by the way. If they can be called that being that small. They don't leave much to the imagination you know." Yusuke only had to wait a few seconds for his comment to register and a shriek split the air. Kagome dove back under her blankets, looking back out at him from three layers so all he could see was angry blue-gray eyes.  
  
"Get. Out." Kagome glared at him as he smirked and then cleared his face to the best innocent look he could muster.  
  
"You sure you don't need help getting dressed? I'm sure I could-" Yusuke was swiftly interrupted.  
  
"Out! Now! Shoo!" Kagome stupidly actually batted at his chest with her hand, bringing it out from the safety of the blankets. Immediately Yusuke grasped her wrist and smirked as her eyes widened. There was suddenly no trace of innocence in on his face.  
  
"Nah. I like it better here." Yusuke tugged her forward. She yipped and clung to the blankets with one hand. He didn't mind and used his free hand to move the material near her face away. His other hand moved from her wrist to the small of her back.  
  
Outside the building, the other girls had gotten dressed and gone outside, leaving their blankets and pillows on the floor inside. A couple minutes before Kagome would dive back into the blankets everyone began to worry about the pair inside. "Should they be yelling more by now? They've only raised their voices a couple of times."  
  
Kurama agreed with Keiko's sentiment as he looked inside Genkai's shrine worriedly. "I hope they didn't say anything too bad. I don't think Yusuke would hurt Kagome physically either."  
  
"What about the other way around? Kagome has quite a temper," Yukina reminded him quietly.  
  
Everyone exchanged glances for a few long silent moments and then everyone began to move towards the building. Genkai stayed behind and watched them go, a knowing smile creasing her face. "Teenagers."  
  
Even Keiko was looking at the door they stopped in front of with an anxious expression. Kurama frowned as he heard nothing from inside, not even quiet hissing voices. He looked around again and everyone shrugged. The kitsune opened the door and everyone stood silent for a few moments at the familiar scene before a low growl became known to everyone but the oblivious couple which had made it down to the floor this time.  
  
"Kurama, maybe we should..." Keiko began, but she saw the protective fury in his eyes and decided to not interfere, especially when he snarled quietly, "His hand is up her top."  
  
All three girls blinked, looked towards Kagome and Yusuke making out among the pillows, mattresses, and blankets on the floor and then blush as one and backed away as Kurama strode forward, being purposefully quiet. Then again, if they hadn't heard the door opening or the voices, it was unlikely anything else would get their attention.  
  
There was a yell of surprise and protest as Kurama grabbed Yusuke by the collar of his shirt and pulled him to his feet and away from Kagome. Then they realized who was standing by them and Kagome's eyes went wide as she attempted to recover her breath. Her flushed skin didn't look to be returning to its normal coloring anytime soon as it turned from a heated blush to an embarrassed and guilty one. Yusuke tried to step away from the kitsune radiating protective rage and found Kurama's hand was still fisted in the back of his shirt, keeping him in place.  
  
"Yusuke," Kurama began, sounding oddly calm. "Didn't we have a conversation about you and Kagome a couple of weeks ago?"  
  
Yusuke blinked and scratched at the back of his head as he looked thoughtful. "Maybe? What were we doing at the time?"  
  
Kagome looked between them and took a hesitant step forward. "Kurama?" The growl stopped her and she stood still as angry green-gold eyes stared at her. They softened briefly. "I should yell at you to, and I shall, but I think I'll let you get dressed first, right?"  
  
Kagome was a bit relieved if he was just going to yell at Yusuke. She hesitated, and then shook her head ruefully. It only would take her a couple minutes to get dressed and Kurama seemed calmer than he had been when he broke them up. What could happen in two minutes anyway?  
  
"I believe that I said," Kurama began softly after Kagome had left, "that I wanted you two to have a real relationship, not just making out every time you two saw each other. Isn't that what I said?"  
  
Yusuke wondered if Kurama was going to let him go anytime soon, because despite the soft tone of voice, he'd rather be having this conversation a few feet away from the possibly enraged to the point of insanity kitsune. "Uh, yes? Look, Kurama, we were having a fight! And then... we weren't."  
  
The girls outside exchanged glances at Yusuke's articulate explanation and Botan shook her head. "He's dead. Youko's near the surface too, so it won't be a very fast death either."  
  
"Um, I think I'll go tell Kagome to hurry up," Yukina murmured, hurrying down the hallway towards where Kagome was getting dressed. Right as she reached the door there were a few crashes from where the boys had been beginning to argue and Yukina's eyes widened.  
  
"Kagome!" Kagome jerked the door open at the frantic knocking and frightened voice of Yukina and looked out, running a brush through her hair quickly before exiting the room dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. "What's wrong Yukina? And where's all that crashing coming from?"  
  
After taking one good look at Yukina's face, Kagome had a feeling she already knew who Yukina was going to say it was. "I believe that would be Kurama and Yusuke."  
  
Kagome groaned and began to sprint down the hallway just as there was the sound of breaking glass. In but moments Genkai was there too, glaring at the shards of broken glass from the window Kurama had thrown Yusuke through. "I hope they know they're paying for that."  
  
Kagome stared at the room, but besides the window she couldn't find anything really wrong with it. Well, there was the potted plant writhing about in one corner. Kagome's blue-gray eyes focused on that for a few moments, ignoring the swearing detective and silent kitsune rolling about on the grass outside.  
  
Kagome went towards the plant and before anyone had an inkling of what she was doing, her hand was wrapped around it. A soft pink glow emanated from her fingers and Kagome purified the demon aura around it. She'd known that many of the plants outside and around the house were demonic, including this one, but now it was being fed, and would, to a lesser extent at least surprise if not harm the one feeding it and almost all the plants outside energy.  
  
Kurama jerked backward from the all out fist fight he and Yusuke had been having after Yusuke had said something particularly crude. Perhaps he had overreacted a bit. "What was your hand doing up her shirt?" Kurama had asked, snarling and with his eyes glinting almost totally gold.  
  
"What, should I have had it down her pants instead?" Obviously by the way Yusuke had winced afterwards he had realized that wasn't the nicest thing to say and hadn't actually meant to say it. Of course, that hadn't helped since Kurama had forgotten all about Rose Whip at that point and just lashed out. Which had led them to going through the window.  
  
Yusuke was staring at Kurama warily as the other boy hissed and shook his head, more green seeping in. He turned his head at the sound of breaking glass and saw Kagome hopping out the window, glass crunching under her feet. He stared at the window. Had they done that? Genkai was going to kill them!  
  
Kagome looked at the two boys, briefly recoiling in shock. It wasn't so much Kurama, who she would have expected to have bruises since Yusuke's main weapon was his fists, but that Yusuke also had bruises instead of cuts. Well, besides the cuts from glass. Kagome tilted her head and frowned thoughtfully at both of them. Despite that the aura was mostly Youko, she had a feeling it was Shuichi's anger behind it. Or, at least, that the human part of Kurama was even more angry than the kitsune. Youko would have used some sort of plant, not rolled around like any common schoolboy.  
  
She looked them over again and was relieved to see that despite how viciously they'd been fighting they'd managed not to use their energy on each other, though by the much healthier looking plants, Kurama's energy had been leaking. She skirted around some of the taller plants and walked towards the two boys, kneeling in front of her crouched cousin and looked him over in concern, not needing to look over her shoulder to see Yusuke's offended look at her ignoring him.  
  
"You ok, Shuichi?" His eyes turned almost back to their normal green coloring and Kagome was sure she was right. It was Youko's power and part of his anger supplying Shuichi in his rage. That would explain the golden eyes. She desperately wanted to ask what had happened but decided it was either going to hurt her, them, or there would end up a three-way fight in which they would all get hurt.  
  
"Of course. I heal quickly and we didn't do that much damage," Kurama said, glancing at Yusuke and himself. A few bruises, but they could take many more normal punches than they had.  
  
"Not to each other anyway. The plants are a bit bigger, and the window's a bit broken. Genkai's going to kill you two." Kagome stood up and held out her hand to her embarrassed cousin, watching as he looked away as he accepted her hand, managing to find the ground very interesting.  
  
Kagome turned to find Yusuke already on his feet and half pouting from her lack of attention and half looking at her nervously. With a sigh she sidled over to him and looked at his bruises and cuts. Fortunately they healed well, but Kurama would probably heal faster. She briefly wondered if this was a good time to cheat. The healing part of her powers weren't the best and almost never worked on her, but on others she could at least heal minor cuts and take away the pain.  
  
She shook her hair, deciding that it was their fight and they could both live with bruises from it. If she wasn't going to find out what had started it she certainly wasn't going to help them get over it. Still... Kagome frowned at a spot on Yusuke's arm where the glass had cut through his shirt.  
  
From the lack of scratches on Kurama, she was guessing it had been Yusuke who'd gone through the window first. She ignored Yusuke's protests that he was fine and peered at the scratch. Long, but not too deep.  
  
"Can't anyone solve anything without violence?" Kagome muttered. Yusuke raised an eyebrow at her down turned head as she traced the scratch with a small frown on her face. "You aren't exactly a pacifist yourself."  
  
Kagome smiled and then reached over to Kurama and threaded one arm through his, her other through Yusuke. Both glared at each other over her head as she began walking towards them house, one sulkily keeping stride the other smoothly walking as he bared canines that were a bit too long.  
  
"Stop that, both of you. I left you two alone for five minutes. Who can get in so much trouble in five minutes?" Both boys managed to look a bit sheepish and guilty until Botan's amused voice interrupted them.  
  
"Remembering the story you told us, and the stories Inuyasha and the others added on, I believe the answer to that is 'you'." Botan giggled at Kagome's flush as the three of them went by her through the doorway. Kagome stayed in between them, noticing the way there was still the slightest angry glint in his eyes.  
  
"Perhaps all of you should try Yusuke's tea. It's chamomile. Very calming." Yukina's sweet and innocent face at the faintest look of mischief in her eyes and it was a rueful Kurama who said what Yusuke, Keiko, and he himself were all thinking. "You and Botan are definitely spending too much time with Kagome."  
  
Kagome had her head tilted to one side again as she gave Yusuke the briefest of appraising looks. "You can make tea?"  
  
"Yeah. What of it?" He asked a bit defensively.  
  
"Neat. I can't make tea if my life depends on it." Kagome left it alone, pretending not to notice everyone blinking a bit at her in his or her shock.  
  
"Don't you want to know what started the fight?" Keiko asked, angry with Yusuke and curious about why the miko was practically ignoring the fight.  
  
"Yes and no. I really do want to know what got Kurama riled up enough to throw Yusuke out a window, but I think if I ask I'm going to end up angry with Yusuke. Again. And possibly Kurama. Kitsunes are supposed to be all about words and the best at verbal matches. What happened to that?" Kagome looked over her shoulder curiously at her red headed cousin as she went to pour herself some tea.  
  
"I lost my temper. I apologize for the damage caused." Kurama sighed and added on in frustration, "I just wish you two would do something more than kiss. Can't you two go on a date like normal teenagers?"  
  
Kagome looked thoughtfully at Yusuke who was scowling at the floor. She sighed a bit and put down the cup of tea before she'd even taken a sip. She looked up at the ceiling, smiling slightly as she watched Yusuke out of the corner of her eye. "You know, there was this movie I wanted to see that came out in the theaters recently."  
  
Yusuke and Kurama's head snapped to hers as Botan put a hand over her mouth to hide a smile. Yukina didn't bother, smiling sweetly at her friend. Keiko was a bit surprised, but after looking at the boys face she was struggling with a smile herself.  
  
"I haven't seen any good movies recently," Yusuke offered. "Keep in mind if it's a dumb chick flick I swear I'll Spirit Gun the screen."  
  
Kagome giggled and shook her head. "Agreed. No horror either. It's action." She smirked and noticed Kurama's slightly relieved expression before she continued. "So, barring either of us having to go frolicking off to fight demons, should we go to the movies in a couple of days?"  
  
"Sure. And Yusuke Urameshi does not frolic." There was a snort from Keiko's general direction. When Yusuke turned to glare at her Kagome kicked Kurama and he clenched his teeth and turned to glare at her. She looked pointedly at Keiko, having seen the slightest flicker in her eyes when she and Yusuke had decided to go to the movies.  
  
When Kagome whispered a few things under her breath, Kurama understood and turned just as the Keiko vs. Yusuke glaring match finished up. "Keiko, I was wondering if you would do me a favor?"  
  
Trusting but puzzled by the look in Kurama's eyes she glanced at him curiously before nodding. "Of course. What is it?"  
  
"Well, my mother has been complaining a bit at her lack of female company... and my own lack of female company as well. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to have dinner with Mother and myself tomorrow evening?" Kurama's smile was his most charming, and the most open. There was the slightest nervous look in his eyes that Keiko couldn't believe was there. Wasn't this the same confident kitsune from the Dark Tournament?  
  
"I'd be pleased to join you and your mother for dinner Kurama." They smiled at each other and both looked more than just happy. They were delighted and Kagome was idly wondering if the plants were going to begin taking over the world if Kurama became too happy.  
  
"Are we all done playing normal teens for today?" Kagome said, sipping her tea. Everyone except Yusuke looked at her expectantly as she finished her first sip. He just rolled his eyes at everyone else.  
  
After a few moments of getting stared at, Kagome glared in exasperation. "What now?"  
  
"How's the tea?" Botan asked eagerly.  
  
Kagome gave her a strange look and Yusuke was barely keeping from snickering at how everyone else was acting. At least one person thought that him making tea wasn't strange. "It's good," Kagome said slowly, as if unsure of her friend's intelligence.  
  
"Well, it was made by Yusuke. We just had to wonder how you would respond to it," Keiko explained with a shrug.  
  
Kagome looked at them all in exasperation and shook her head. "Everyone has useful skills besides fighting you know."  
  
She scowled as she shook her head, finishing up the tea as she walked back towards her room to collect her stuff. She stopped and looked back at the room, which was gaping a bit sheepishly at her besides the snickering detective in one corner.  
  
"It's just tea."  
  
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Let's see, too long to do responses for all of you, so I'll do some general thank yous and a couple of individual responses. Oh, and anything in parenthesis is a smaller individual response. Thank you for reviewing to: Choas Babe, Amara, inu. -sess fan(grins), silverkitsunekagome, ShadowStone, Night-Owl123, Suisei, Jessyca, inuyuyurrk, uspoken, Sora the Taske, Shinigami Clara, and Cheeza-13.  
  
Concrete Tenshi: grins Wow, thanks for such a nice long review. It's ok if you didn't think it was good, or even still don't, Kagome having a cousin is a clichéd fic anyway, which is a bit of the reason I started it and a few other overused ideas, most which aren't up yet. This chapter was less fluffy and maybe a bit OOC, and I definitely need to do a bit more with Hiei and Kuwabara soon. The fluff part was more on Kurama and Keiko this chapter but there will be plenty more Yus/Kag soon, now that Kurama and Yusuke have both gotten some of their ill hidden anger out of their system.  
  
Winged Knight: Thank you! Actually, always thank you, I always like your reviews. Not as much humor as I would have liked this chapter, but I thought Kurama fighting like any normal school boy was funny. No more Touya this chapter, probably not for a couple more where there will be more Touya and Yusuke snarling at each other. Just not literally. Yet. I don't think you asked before, but no, Yusuke isn't a Toushin yet. He will be eventually.


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